1950-03-04 — Page 9

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THE CANBERRA CONFERENCE

One of the chief results of, India inčarly five years to pro- the Commonwealth Con- duce this plant and it is still not ference at Colombo was the ready. But when it comes into operation its entire output of acceptance of the plan of the fertiliser spread over India fields new Australian Foreign will be enough to increase the Minister, Mr. Spender. The

total agriculture production of the country, only by 400,000 tons. is the plan for combatting the which is the amout of increase spread of Communism fn needed every year to feed the South East Asia by setting Incrensing population.

The second cause of India's afoot a great economic expan-dangerous plight is the economic olon in this area. It was collapse of South East Asia, - In agreed that the first step the past, when India's food pro-

By "WINDRUSH”

of

should be a' conference economic experts at Canberra, the Australian capital, to work out concrete details.

Further action has been hung up because of the British general election. But consultations aro taking place between

duction was in deficit, it could obtain rice cheaply and earlly from Burma. If it could do so, it would today be Importing about four or five million tons office from Burma. But Burm

has hardly 1,000,000 tons to ex- port, and it is doubtful whether, even if peace is restored, Burma Domi-will ever again export on thic pre-war scale. For the pre-war way rice production In Burma the result of the very

peculiar economie and agrarian structure of Burma. More than half the

nlon Governments, It is hoped that the Canberra conference will meet in April or May.

What will It discuss? First it must make a rapid assessment of the economle situation of all South Asia. When it does EO,

are

rlee land of Lawer Burma was in the hands of moneylenders from South India.

Undoubtedly

it will probably conclude that they were oppressive and explo. there are two areas in which stative; but they did organise the effort should be especially con- country for production and ex-

These are

and port. India centrated.

Now they have been ex- Indonesia. These

two-propriated. The} The

—–Burmese- countries of South Asla with

emancipated peasant has been specifically economie problems. from their exactions. But Bur- In the other countries the econo- mese agriculture will not again mic life is by no means satisfac- be as effcient as formerly. tory; but the renson for this- unlike the reason in

India-is chlefly political rather than eco- nomic, If only political condi- tlons were orderly, 11 country like Burma would quickly become again relatively prosperous.

India is the key to the econo- mle advancement of Asia. It Is the key to much else, Some remarks of the great Lord Cur- zon, written 60 years ago, Are still as true as on the day when he wrote them. "Even the for- Lunes of remote Korea are in a männer. bound up with the prob- tem of Hindustan, seeing,

that It is by the same toe that, in the last resort, both are threatened. and that the tactics which alm at the appropriation of the smaller unit have as their ultimate jective the detriment greater."

of

India's crisis

economic

British capital

Deprived of the rice exports of Burma-and Indo-China-India has been driven to make much more expensive imports from America and Australio.

The third cause of India's_dif- culty is the interruption of the flow of British capital to India. From the first half of the nine- teenth century onwards until two or three decades ago, capital was flowing into India. Thus it was an expanding economy. The Investment was given concrete expanse in the great

irrigation works

of the Punjab and in the railway network covering India. It is true that the standard of ab-living of the country as a whole He did not rise. The absolute pro- duction rose, greatly; but unfor- tunately the

population

Στον proportionately, and in тапу parts of the country the income per head remained stationery even Tell.

But India's continu- ing poverty should not be allow- ed to obscure the fact that throughout this period capital investment was continiously transforming the Indian econo- my.

India's

crisis has come about as the result of three main causes, The first is the swelling increase of population It is a little difcuit to give de finite statistles for India's econo- mic life since partition, because the previous

figures referred usually to the whole Indian pen- Insula.

But it can be safely as- sumed that the present rate of increase of population is

about three and a half or four million a your. This means that India's food consumption must increase by 400,000 tons of grain a year La the new houths are to be Led.

To meet this need, India -trying-to-increase-its-own- food

production. Paradoxically starts with a certain

can it

or

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1950.

DON

IDDON'S

DIARY

Their money our ch

The British walk to the ; tish model in the American ballot-boxes under Kileg honteland and it Mr. Churchill is victorious, then the American lights. Every camera is way of life will be saved. focused on Britain, and the

American audience is pro- pared to cheer, boo, or even walk out on the performance. People here have helped to Anance the production and they have paid admission price now they wait impatiently to see

what the British will do.

I haven't met a single soul who knows what's going to happen.

They're jittery

Advance publicity, has, in turn, forecast a Socialist romp, a Con-, servativo come-back, a draw, an all-round hil, and a resounding

flop.

Anything, apparently, con happen in Britain on Thursday, and no one here will be very surprised.

My friends treat me with ex- aggerated consideration, as if I were about to be wheeled into the operating theatre. I am being told to "take it easy, re lax, watch my step, keep ray Angers crossed, my head down, and my powder dry."

What they want

choice

The Democrats) are doing their best, but they're scarcely making a: dent in the mountain of meat

There was a big political-din- ner in Washington the other night, attended by President It is no use pretending that Truman, and 5,200 steaks, cach this is an objective and impar-la. thick, were served; but this

audience. The want the Conservatives: to win.

Americans is merely nibbling. - They want to start doing business again with Mr. Churchilli and are hopeful that Mr. Churchill will be able to do business-with Mr Stalin,

During the past few days the Adminiftration has been at pains to disavow that the Democrats' Fair Deal in any way resembles and programmes. the Labour Government's policies

White House the New York Tintes President Truman calls to the Arthur Krock and says there lan't a drop of socialist blood" in him.

Mr. Paul Hoffman, head of ECA, goes around tolling Sena- tors that the Marshall Plan and European economic stand, a much better chance of Integration success if the Conservatives win.

And the ordinary hard-working, heavily

worried, taxed member of the American com- munity contributor to the British economy, a firm friend and ally looks to Winston Churchill to remove the shadow of the hydrogen hell-bomb from himself and his home,

All this is not interference in British affairs it is the right of the paying American customer to put in his two cents' worth.

Our anxious American cousins seem more jittery than the elec- „tion_candidates-themṣalyen,

The belief that what Britain does today America does tomor row is firmly implanted in the United States. So if the British put Mr. Attlee back into power, then everyone here, will brace himself for Socialism on the Bri-report the election result. Radio. There are claborate plans to and television stations are geared to flash bulletins as the votes are counted.

JORDAN CABINET RESIGNATION

Amman, March 2.

The commentators are lined up before the microphones and the newspapers will roll out special editions.

Mess and mix-up

The Jordan Cabinet resigned similar symptoms, but not alto- A lot of other people here have today. The Prime Minister, Tow-gether because of the British fk Abu El Huda, was asked by election. King Abdullah to continue in New York suddenly finds itself office pending the formation of a in an. extraordinary new Administration.

mess and mix-up. Tawfik Pasha formed

Rationing has come to the scat his Cabinet last May. Last December of power and wealth. It appears it decided to dissolve the Chum we have scarcely any coal: wo water; we bers of Deputies and notables have scarcely hny

elections this have little fuel for light and not ready for possible April of two Chambers, in which much for heat. Arab

We have been told to cut down Palestine, now occupied by Jordan troops,

would have equal

or face tho consequences. The most brilliantly it city in the representation with Jordan,

Israell Government sources

world accepts a humillating tated in Tel Aviv yesterday that

brown-out, and the glittering successful negotiations are going "spectaculors arc. dimesed.

marqueo Elgne and dazzling on with Jordan but a. Foreign This is back to war conditions, Office spokesman denied Press and no one can think of a con- reports that the Israeli Cabinet vincing explanation except to had had an extraordinary meeting, curse the miners' leader, John L. to discuss a peace treaty with Lewis, and blame the weather Jordan or a non-aggression pact man to be signed shortly-Reuter.

WORLD BARTER TRADE PLAN

Manila,

March 3, A plan to found a world clear-

Every day brings a new threat," The taverns and pubs may be closed, the cinemas and theatres shuttered, the dance-balls and amusement parks locked up.

It's an absured situation, and the City Council rums, around in circles.

From 1890 the capital Inflow begin to slacken, and from, the first world war It talled off sharply. Now it has virtually ceased, In fact thero has been "disinvestment" by the British, No now capital is forthcoming. And America, faced with da mands for capital from West Eu-ing house for barter trade among food. In fact, there is so much rope and all over the world, has. States lacking foreign exchange surplus food that the Department not taken over the British role. came, this morning-before-the The Indian wealthy class Is Economie Affairs Committee. of

of Agriculture may soon sun out small, and saving by Indians the Junior Chamber of Commerce to dump it. themselves is quite inadequate fifth world congress,

of caves and storehouses in which

There are billions to supply the capital needed!

of surplus exgs.

eveni nuta

At least, there's no ratloning of

When brought today before the

potatoes, and Thus, at a time when India is plenary session, the proposal re- paging Mr. Strachey) lying Economic Affairs group is also to do with them.toned this ceived, marked applause. The

around, and no one knows what discussing President Harry Tru-

Since I last

advantage in this task because of the ex- treme Inefficiency. of Indian agriculture.

With such a very low output per acre-the lowest entering on an acute crisis from In the civilised-world-a-little over-population and effort is bound to effect.

under sonie production of food, it is entering Improvement. Aut

on a second crisis due to pro- duce anything like the improve-

thu stagnancy of its economy as the ment needed? One example result of the stoppage of foreign will bring home the buffling investment. · magnitude of India's task. At great cost India has been erect- ing a gigantle fertiliser plant in order to try to emulate Japan in transforming its agriculture by the use of fertiliser. It has taken.

How to remedy these thres causes of India's difficulties?-- that is the first problem to which the Canberra conference address itself.

No single solution to world deadlock

Washington, March 2.

must

The State Department believes that there is no

single solution to end the deadlock between. the Western powers and Russia over the con- trol of atomic energy and to reach an agras- ment on East-West differences in general.

The State Department's poal-

4-Support In every possible.

lion was outlined today by its way the work of the United Na chlef spokesman, Mr. Michael tions along the lines of the es McDermott, when he comment-sentials of the peace. "reaclution of the last General Assembly and

ed on a proposal made yester-in their similar efforts. day by Senator Brien McMahon Democratic Chairman of the Joint Congressional Atomic En ergyTM Committee, that a new, approach to atómic peace should be made to Russia at a United Nations General Assembly meeting in Moscow.

Senator McMahon's proposal is

Mr. McDermott said that the State: Department is trying to `attain, those ... objectivou, in thi United Nations, at meetings.of. regional organisations and by direct; diaqusalons with other countries

would not reply when ask--

how being considered by State ed if the State Department Department officials, Mr. McDes- now making a special, study of any single proposal to end; the cold war.

mott sak. But he added that no single formula or device will get

at all of these problems. Adda

But, in a car Mr. McDermott Bald that statement, he through consultations with other studying Governments, the State Depart BY, Over ment is trying ton

scams.

man's Point, Four programme problem it has got worse, and the This envisages did to under-de- Kansas caves are bursting at the. veloped countries,

The Social Welfare Committee decided to

One of the frat gestures our ask

steamship lines to

new Government should, make is free passage to students tra- to assist the Americans in this volling on scholarships,

The committee stage of the help. and I am told that there's It's our turn to predicament. week-long

CLavention plenty of room at home to accom- Manila is expected to end-today.modate the footstufts particu

Associated Press.

Idrly in Britian stomachs.

Where Weston's biscuits

are made

Weston's

Brioud, and only the finest

BISCUITS

distraught as the political. The The entertainment world is as dim-out could black out their business,

Showmen profess optimism, but they're not convincing. They live in a dream state, anyway.

Mare Barnions were preached last week against Ingrid Bergman than against the terror of hydro- gen annihilation. This does not make sense.

moment are

"Best money-makors "at" the war alms-which fact may, or may not, be sig nifcant.

In town is actor Lionel Stand- er, with these comments on akow business:

The people are cannibals, They. "There's no tougher racket. eat their own. This is the big- gest wolf-pack in the world."

Mr. Stander is very bitter- perhaps because he hasn't made a Hollywood hit for some time.

Our own Gracie Fields is not She tells me: "I can't wait to get back to work I had inten ded to retire, as I told you when we crossed together, but now that Monty is dead I am going right back to work."

Stalin's hobby

Latest comment

on Rudolft

Bing's purge at the Metropolitan Opera:

We don't want to lose a Melchior just to get a Bing un- less his last name happens to be Crosby."

Anita Loos, author of "Gentle- men Prefer Blondes," has decided to call her now book "Sex Doesn't, Pay." She must be down to her last million.

has a profitable hobby-collecting Heard around town.. Stalin

their planned economy. Well, it China. The Socialists praise was certainly well Marshalled. Footnote.The only key pence in the Hydrogen Age, as in any other, is the inviolability of

one's word.

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