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April 3, 1946. News for this day, reported on and commented by Cedric Foster of Mutual Broadcasting. The focus was on reconstruction – hunger and the displaced throughout Europe and how meeting those needs was going to be accomplished. The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation agency was formed, headed up by former New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia who immediately set out and raised eyebrows. The issue in question was one of wheat, and which of the UN signatories had sufficient enough quantities to aid those countries in the most need with their surplus supply. LaGuardia found Argentina as a likely candidate – relatively untouched by the war, Argentina had sufficient supplies of wheat which it was a major producer of. But Argentina was undergoing something of a change, with the election of Col. Juan Perón to the head of State. Argentina had also pledged its surplus wheat to other countries, through sale and outright gift. And for that reason, Argentina was not a signatory of UNRRA. But LaGuardia was going to try anyway, saying “Wheat has no political complexion and I’m going to buy wheat where ever I can find it” and he was extending a hand of friendship to Perón anyway. He also indicated he would be paying a call on Canadian Prime Minister McKenzie King in the hopes of scraping up a few bushels of wheat from Canada.
The world food situation on this April 3rd in 1946 was best described as desperate, with millions of people on the verge of starvation unless help was sent to them and sent quickly.
Back home, the subject was inflation and the OPA. Paul Porter, head of the OPA told a Congressional hearing that Price ceilings would be adjusted whenever such adjustment would bring about increased production. Mr.Porter wanted to wipe out those ceilings just as soon as it was safe to do so without the danger of inflation, which Porter said was very real.
And that’s a very small slice of what went on, this April 3rd 1946 as presented by Cedric Foster News And Commentary from the Mutual Broadcasting System.
