Appeal For Millions Of Hungry Children

Chronicle (Levin), 2 March 1948, Page 2

Appeal For Millions Of Hungry Children

Press Association J

(Per

WELLINGTON, Mar. 1. It was estimated that tliere were. 60,000,001) hungry children in Europe today and many miliions more in Ohina and India, * said the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) last night when he joined with the Leader of tlie Opposition (Mr. Holland) in a radio appeal for support of the International Childkpn 's Emergeney Fund for the relie'f of child sufl'erers from the war. The majority of thos-e children, said the Prime Minister, had been born into a reign of terror, and great mimbers were honieless, or crippled, or had insuflicient to eat. Schools had been destroyed; medical and nursing services in strieken countries had fallen by half; food production over large areas was far below normal. To meet the urg-ent needs ahead; continued .the Prime Minister, the United Nation? had organised the International Children 's Emergeney Fund, which was already operating in a npmber of European countries and in China. The plan was .a world-wide crusade, and New Zealand had willingly agreed to take part in it. The campaign in the Dominion would be in full swing in May. A widclv rei»resentative national committee had been set up, and Mayors, city eouncillots, and town board ehairmen were being asked to forni looal coiumittees. Everybody, said Mr. Fraser, would be asked in May to give all they could to the Uniled Natloiis appeal. in doing so, New Zealanders would be coiitributiug not only to humanity, but also to the peace of the world itseif. Mr. Holland said that sucli an appeal transcended all political eonsiderations and ideologiek. On the children of today rcsted the destiny of Ihe nations; the young must not grow up with hatrod and distrust of tlieir fellow-men. Their oullook dex>ended largely qn the impressions received dur--ing the inipressionable years _ of tlieir lives. Mr. Holland rscalled the speclacie he had vitnessed in Europe — tllousands upon thousands of brokcn-lieartcd social uul human wrecks, wandering from village.to village without food or hope, with tragitally -large numbers of children in tlieir midst. The United Nations appeal was anned to meet the needs of sucli children, and sliould toucli the heart of every iiatriotie New Zealander; it was designed to save the hope and self-respect of miliions of children throughout tlie world.