FOOD CONFERENCE

Grey River Argus, 3 June 1943, Page 5

FOOD CONFERENCE

STATES PRINCIPLES Freedom from Want (Rec. 10.20) HOT SPRINGS, June 1. The United Nations’ Food Conference here has issued a sevenpoint declaration of principles. In this forty-four participating nations affirm the belief that freedom from want of suitable and adequate food to maintain the health and strength of .all peoples can be attained. The declaration, which was issued only after thirty-five revisions, urges immediate consideration in preliminary detail, of the task of feeding the post-war world better than it has ever been fed before. The declaration states: “Firstly, the first task is to win the war, and thus deliver millions from _ hunger. Freedom from hunger during the period of food shortage after the war will be attainable only by concerted efforts to economise consumption and to increase supplies and distribute them to the best advantage. Secondly, thereafter we must unite efforts to win and maintain freedom from fear and from want, either one of which cannot be achieved without the other. Thirdly, there has never been enough food for the health of all people. This has been justified neither by ignorance nor by nature’s harshness. Food production must be greatly expanded. We possess knowledge of the means whereby this can be done. It requires imagination and a firm will on behalf of each Government and people to make use of that knowledge. Fourthly, the first cause of malnutrition is poverty. It is useless to produce more food unless man and nations provide markets for its absorption. World economy must be expanded to provide purchasing powei’ sufficient to maintain an adequate diet for all. Food will be available for all people for national determination, but each nation will fully achieve its goal only if all work together. Sixthly, we recommend our respective Government to adopt the conference’s findings and recommendations, and urge early and concerted discussion of related problems that are outside of the scope of this conference. Seventhly, the first step towards freedom from want need not await the solution of all other problems.

The conference statement continues: Each advance in one field will strength and quicken advances in all others. Work already begun must be continued. The first steps can be taken once the war is won. We must make ready now. The conference decided that its proposed permanent organisation shall be named the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Office. Combined sub-committees adopted a resolution urging the participating Government to accept the responsibility, as far as is within their power, for making it possible for their nationals who are without an adequate diet to obtain the physiological requirements of the health resolution, making these available free, or at low prices, to the groups with inadequate diets, through social security legislation, such as family allowances, and minimum Wages, and also through special assistance to pregnant women, and to children and invalids. Another resolution recommends the participating Governments to affirm the principle of mutual responsibility for co-ordinated action to, firstly, promote full employment for their own and other people; secondly, to promote the development of agricultural and other material through sound 'development of industry; thirdly, to assist in the achievement of these aims through the supplying of capital, equipment, and technical skill; fourthly, to reduce barrier? tn international trade.