A short while ago, Mr. Wu Ting-chang, the Minister of Industries, r tempted to dispel any apprehension on the part of the public that there might be a food shortage in China in view of the prevailing crisis, as mentioned in the "North-China Daily News" at the time. He outlined in the course of the interview a number of measures to cope with food problems including:—Authorities of N metropol ie with the fet ive ities. restrictions "on "the distribution and There is mo necessity to impose A Central News report from Nanking yesterday said that the "Central Daily News" there stressed the fact that the Minister took pains to enumerate the figures of last year's bumper crops and the price lists in the domestic food market at this time; this, the Nanking journal says, proves that unscrupulous merchants have already existed who, taking advantage of the present unrest, manipulate the food market.
To fundamentally solve China's food problem, the " Daily News" advocates an adoption of a food control policy by the Government. In the opinion of ihe journal, the demand and supply of foodstuff in China have never been properly readjusted. While one place reay be overstocked with grain ancther locality may be in the throes of a famine. In addition, food manipulators profiteer during political crises by spreading wild rumours In order that the food problem may te effectively dealt with during an emergency period, the "Central Daily News" suggested the:
I—Control of production. This includes: Control of farm land, such as the utilization of public and private wasteland, graveyard and saltfeld, and the cultivation of winter crops, Crop control, such as the temporary suspension of cultivation of unnecessary staple products like sugar canes, tobacco and tea, Labour control Male adults should be drafted to active military service, while others should be required to till the field, and Control of consumption. Luxurious consumptive goods such as wine should no longer be produced, while a quóta system should be introduced in connection with food consumption.
IL—The enforcement of the "food requisition" system, or the collection of agricultural products from indivi-coal producers and to centralize their distribution and consumption. This includes:
Stoppage of free trading in foodstuff so as to prevent an anarchistic state of food distribution.
Promulgation of regulations for the encouragement of food requisition and punishment of violators, That the nation's food problem demands the immediate attention of the Government was stressed by the "Central Daily News."
The journal recalls that since the Lukouchiao incident broke out, representatives of the Dairen and Formosa rice hongs have been purchasing large quantities of rice in Shanghai. They have also indirectly placed heavy orders with the Chekiang and Anhwei rice marts for exportation. The heavy exodus of wheat io the north has shot up the price of the staple product, while Kwangtung is threatened with food shortage.
AN these, said the paper, serve to illustrate the gravity of the situation.
In conclusion the paper urges the Government to strictly prevent the sale of foodstuff to the "enemy" and, at the same time, to store up sufficient foodstuff to meet the needs of the country
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.