From Hunger to Worse

For many Indians the line between perpetual hunger and real starvation is thin. Last week that line was thinner than ever.

The loss of Burma deprived India of 1,500,000 tons of rice. This year there were crop failures in several large provinces. In Punjab, where crops were good, they rotted because too many farmers came down with malaria at harvest time. All over the subcontinent hoarding was predicted by farmers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers who expected greater shortages and higher prices. Railways were so overburdened with war traffic that it was difficult to move grain from areas of plenty to those in need.

Papers all over the country demanded Government action to get wheat and rice to the starving. Snapped one Delhi daily: "Profiteers, speculators, hoarders and the rest of the parasites are fattening on the vitals of the masses. The Government has so far done precious little in terms of action to relieve their distress."

The Indian All-Parties conference at Allahabad issued a stiff statement: "Judging by the Government's industrial policy during the war and the failure to provide the people with sufficient food at reasonable prices, it has failed in vital matters affecting the nation in this crisis." Present at the conference was moderate Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru. When a United Nations enthusiast like Sir Tej supports such a statement, things must be worse than usual.

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