THIS IS WAR TO THE END
By Fr. Arthur McCormack
FORTNIGHT after the Holy Father launched his blueprint for the hungry nations of the world, the conference of the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (Oxfam) has committed itself tothe war on want on the widest possible
"Hunger in the world". said Lord de la Warr. "is a colossal but finite problem. We have thc knowledge to solve it. The question for us today is whether we have the energy And the generosity, of spirit and of money, to make at any rate a serious contribution to its solution."
very generous share of the emergency relief distributed by Oxfam throughout the world.
This organisation was first in the field to cope with the state of chaos in the Congo. It is voluntary, nonsectarian and non-political, but most of its members have Church affiliations and Catholics are prominent among the committee. It is also helped by unbelieving humanitarians.
At last week's conference, Dr. Alec Dickson outlined his movement for getting young people to give a year of their lives to work with others of their own age group in the emergent nations. The vigorous youth of the new countries can only be spoken to properly by those of their own age. and the volunteers are enriched by the experience of facing tough assignments with heavy responsi bility. SERVICE Dr. Neil Duncan told the story of his plan to bring the Australian Flying Doctor principle to Africa. I know of at least one of my fellow missionaries whose life would have been saved if there had been such a service in West Africa.
Money is not enough. Conference speakers stressed the need for more technical assistance. respect for other peoples' cultures. the need to revolutionise the agricultural sector, two-way co-operation between developed and underdeveloped countries, the importance of partnership between them to the complete exclusion of patronage.
We were told that the "Freedom from Hunger Campaign " of UNO'S Food and Agricultural Organisation, will aim, during the next five years, not only to raise funds, but also, by education, publicity. and the choosing of projects, to start a process which will carry on indefinitely until hunger is wiped out of the 20th century.
This autumn. the Campaign will be launched with full publicity in this country. Individuals and voluntary organisations will have a full part to play, as well as industry and state bodies. in collecting funds and arousing public opin ion,
If there is any doubt about the effectiveness of such agencies, remember the total of £9.000.000 mostly collected for World Refugee Year by voluntary agencies and reflect that at present these voluntary bodies give more aid to the developing countries than the United Nations agencies, which get their funds from about 80 member nations.