Show f d i J Factor In Iii Europe's Food Crisis Shattered Communication Lines Hamper r j. j Market Movements Civil Strife 7 L Further Restricts Deliveries By BAUKHAGE i News Ams Analyst and Commentator Service Union Trust Building Washington D. D C. C Recently I saw saw a list of 12 European European European Euro Euro- countries with an estimate of the number of calories consumed in each now as compared with their inhabitants' inhabitants prewar diet It was just lust at the time when the Greek revolt was well under way and only a tight lid was keeping the Belgian pot from boiling over The calorie consumption in those two countries was the lowest on the list 67 and 63 per cent respectively of their prewar diet About that time Myron Taylor the Presidents President's representative at the Vatican was warning the Allies that I if it communism came to Italy it would come over empty stomachs Adding up this data the natural assumption assumption assumption as as- is that hunger is the chief cause of unrest in Europe But it isn't as simple as that I made some investigations and came upon a number of interesting facts which prove the dangers of over cation Number one is Low calories may maybe maybe maybe be a symptom and not a disease In other words disorganization and revolt revolt revolt re re- re- re volt affect the food supply as well as being affected by it Number two Destruction and disorganization disorganization disorganization dis dis- dis- dis organization are the chief causes of famine and the type of destruction which affects the food supply is not the destruction of food It is tHe L I smashing CM 01 of railways and ana rolling stock and blowing ving up of bridges and doing other things that interrupt transportation This has done more to create areas of starvation than any planned destruction of the crops themselves by the enemy t Number three Conditions are frequently frequently fre fre- fre- fre worse after countries are liberated One common misconception which needs to be corrected is the total amount and distribution of the food shortage Since Europe's food problems problems problems lems are of vital concern to America America America Amer Amer- ica it might be well to clear up some of these erroneous ideas Problem Varies In InDifferent inDifferent Different Countries i In the first place in the early years of the war war the situation was painted too black There were various various various va va- rious reasons for this Among them the fact that many countries exaggerated exaggerated exaggerated their plight asking for more than titan they expected for fear of getting getting getting get get- ting less than they really needed Later the picture was painted far too rosily Through all this time the experts were not fooled but the public public public pub pub- lic was It is wrong to say that Europe is starving It is wrong to say that nobody is starving or will starve I Iwas Iwas Iwas was informed by a person who is in ina a position to know if anyone is The point is that the situation i in ip various places varies greatly and here we come back to the question of transportation We might use Greece as an example of a place where revolt has increased the seriousness seriousness seriousness se se- of the food situation One of the chief concerns of persons who had no political interest whatever in whether Greece became a purple monarchy or a bright red spot of communism but who were interested inter- inter ested Bested in seeing that the Athenians didn't starve was the fact that because because because be be- cause of the fighting shiploads of food lay untouched untouched- in the harbor of Piraeus Athens Rome Marseille are allin all allin allin in spots far distant from areas where surplus food exists Normandy Norman Norman- dy for instance could share some of her products with the south of France if there were any way to gel get the stuff across the country The grain in the holds of ships in the harbor is no good to the people of Greece unless there is unrestricted passage to and from the docks and men who can unload and transport it to safety This question of proximity to supply supply supply sup sup- ply explains why all over Europe the average consumption level of the I farm population is 40 per cent higher high high- er than that of the people in urban or manufacturing communities One of the paradoxes of Europe's eating troubles is that in most countries countries countries coun coun- tries the situation often grows worse instead of better after liberation takes place Italy is an example of what mixed blessings liberation can bring Here we begin to see how the twin demons of destruction work out As indicated the direct destruction destruction destruction tion of food supplies either by bombing bombing bombing bomb bomb- ing or battle or German sabotage so far has not been a major factor Of or course the more rapidly the Allies Allies Allies Al Al- lies remove the Germans the less chance they have to steal the food or orthe orthe orthe the crops and transport them They had considerable time in Italy On the other hand on their hurried trip from Normandy to the Rhine the Nazis were far too busy moving to toI I beg borrow steal or destroy Where they have had a chance to squat as asin asin I in the Netherlands Poland and I Czechoslovakia the situation is worse But until they knew they i were going to have to get out of a n I country they did not wish to destroy destroy destroy de de- de- de stroy productivity and the natives were fed They had to keep the people people people peo peo- alive to support their own military military military mili mili- tary and economic activity and they expected they would have plenty of time to exploit later when they set setup setup setup up their own new order in Europe The factors in food production which suffered most were those involved involved involved in in- in food processing It is easier easier easier ier and quicker to wreck a flour mill millor or a milk plant than a farm Some fertilizer factories suffered and of course in Holland there was wholesale wholesale wholesale whole whole- sale obliteration of arable land when the dykes were blown This is almost almost almost al al- al- al most permanent damage since the salt from the sea water will sour I the soil for years to come I Complex Economies Cause Trouble But there were were other forces which began to work earlier Europe before the war produced most of what its own people ate The things imported were tea and coffee spices and fats and oils They also had to import much of their cattle food and fertilizer Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many striving to be sufficient self-sufficient built many plants for the production of seed oils and raised many oilseed oilseed oilseed oil oil- seed crops This was true elsewhere in Europe and because more food value can be produced from the same resources directly than indirectly through raising food for livestock the livestock was reduced I Under these conditions in order to get the greatest value out of food products i strictest regimentation was necessary When the Germans left a country and controls vanished conditions immediately became worse unless under liberation a stable stable stable sta sta- ble government could step in immediately immediately immediately im im- im- im mediately and reorganize This reorganization was impeded by the destruction of transportation the disrupted economy and in the case of countries like Italy by the effect of fascist rule which has made the people lethargic dependent and impotent and departing left them leaderless And so we see the vicious circle in hi operation operation disorganization disorganization hampering hampering ham ham- the food supply hunger and unrest preventing reorganization For their own sake the haves must feed the have Time is of the essence and casting bread upon these unhappy waters will be beas beas beas as profitable an investment as it is isa isa isa a gesture of mercy When General MacArthur rides up the streets of Manila some day t we hope not far off he may have a amounted amounted amounted I mounted cavalry escort and if he I does three of the stepping high-stepping members may be veterans of the battle of Bataan i The First cavalry fought for months overseas as foot soldiers A Apart Apart part of their job lob happened to be th I I capture of the racetrack at j ban on Leyte Naturally every man cast envious eyes on some of the I horses left there Later the horses were rounded up and lo to and behold among them were three which w were were re identified as having belonged to the cavalry which had fought at Bataan They were repatriated with acclaim and formed tHe nucleus of a mounted unit which has been doing excellent I I reconnaissance on the island So history repeats In the Span Span- I ish-American ish war of 1898 dismounted U. U S S. S cavalry were s sent mt to the Phil Phil- Later a few horses were obtained and they proved so valuable valuable valuable able that the whole regiment was mounted I |