"Belly Americans"

The U.S. had promised a lot--and performed miserably. In cold statistics it read like this: America, the richest and best-fed nation in the world, was 12,000,000 bushels of wheat short of its commitments to starving Europe, and little wheat was moving off U.S. farms to make up the total of 225,000,000 bushels pledged by July 1.

In human terms it was far more shameful. Because of the lack of promised U.S. grains, hunger sat at tables all over Europe. In Italy, children with spidery legs and leathery skin stalked the streets, struck down by malnutrition (see MEDICINE). Greece, Yugoslavia and Poland were down to a two-weeks' supply of bread grains. In Germany, hungry burghers rooted through refuse; in some parts of China, mud, grass and tree bark were staple foods.

To date, the U.S. people had never really taken their obligation seriously. The Administration had bungled and boggled the food problem, had failed to solve it at home as well as failed to relieve it abroad. The U.S. press, cheering victory and peace, had not succeeded in giving its readers--it had not tried very hard to give--the graphic picture of the hunger that stalked the world.

The U.S. people were indifferent. They fought in black markets and haggled with grocers for luxuries; they made few sacrifices themselves so that necessities could be sent abroad.

Fiorello LaGuardia, the new boss of UNRRA, tried to do his bit. After busting protocol in Washington to hurry necessary grains to central Europe, he unloaded all his fiery wrath on those people who still insist on eating pie a la mode. Cried he: "Those people, why they simply have no hearts at all. Belly Americans, that's what they are. Fat, rich, gooey pastry in these times! What we need here is a pastry holiday."

The U.S. people had not been talked to like that in a long time. LaGuardia's shrill scolding made them wince--momentarily, at least. But they still paid scant attention to the grave admonitions of Herbert Hoover, from that faraway, hungry continent of Europe (see INTERNATIONAL).

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