BOOKS OF THE WEEK
The Uncertain Future
Prophecy of Famine. By H. J. Massingham and Edward Hyams. (Thames and Hudson. 12s. 6d.) FAMINE and starvation stalking the land of Britain in the not-too- distant future—that is the picture vividly drawn by these two authors. The prophecy is based, amongst other things, on the now familiar arguments cif increasing world populations and diminishing world exportable food-surpluses. Facts and figures are given to show that 50 per cent. of Britain's population is dependent on imported foods, and would die of starvation or share famine conditions with the remainder if ever, under present conditions, these imports should cease to be available. This situation is described with great force and conviction—almost with panic. While no one will deny the need to increase production from British agriculture, there will be iolent disagreement over the ways and means by which it should be achieved. Incidentally, recent history disproves the statement that Denmark should be regarded as a more certain source of butter than the Dominions because she "is close and friendly."
As might be expected, the authors' general approach to the problem can be described as that of the Naturist school. There is no place in it for the orthodox economist, and all questions of cost are subject to the dictum that one eats food and not money. The modern way of life is held to be primarily responsible for many of Britain's present difficulties, and all manner of things ranging from modern insecticides to industrial roller mats, white bread and beer come in for varying degrees of criticism. On the other hand, the solution of Britain's• food, if not of her entire economic, problems, appears to be the establishment of a peasantry based on an additional two to three million "farmers," together with the re-establishment of all the local arts and crafts that have gradually disappeared from the country- side since the Middle Ages. This special type of peasant must farm his land primarily on a self- sufficiency basis. Any surpluses would be sold through some form of co-operative society. The life of the two to three million peasants would seem to be a telative paradise compared with the various forms of "parasitic occupations" and "degrees of industrial slavery" to which the remaining ten million, or so, workers would still be condemned, until one realises the rigid degree of control that would be exercised over them to ensure full and proper use of their land. One author, Edward Hyams, insists on land-nationalisation as the only means of establishing such a peasantry. The other, H. J. Massingham, whose passing will be greatly regretted by all those to whom his writings have given so much pleasure, believed in private ownership, but visualised the erection of regions each to be under the control of a super-individual known as a Land Warden, who would apparently have powers equal to or exceeding those of the war-time County Agricultural Executive Officer. The need to secure the fullest possible use of all Britain's land resources, including the more extensive reclamation of all classes of marginal land, is rightly emphasised, but whether or not the cost can be met. by simply adopting "a new method of issuing money" is open to grave doubt. The layman will be intrigued if not enlightened by the attributes given to and expected of the ecologist. Humus and soil-fertility are both given a disproportionate degree of emphasis in discussions on land use and production. Numerous authorities are quoted in support of the various arguments put forward, but the selection seems to be somewhat biased. It is remarkable for example that-no mention is made of Britain Can Feed liPrself by Pollitt, although of course his methods of solving the- problem would be vastly different. In- the same connection there are a number of statements which may be misleading to the ordinary reader. For example, the dust-bowl areas only cover a comparatively small part of the American and Canadian prairies (p. 156); the bracken-infested area in Wales is more likely to have decreased than increased during the last sixteen years (p. 61); it is unfair to.compare the yields of grain in Western Europe (50 to 70 bushels per acre) with those of the U.S.A. (15 to 20 bushels per acre) (p. 120) because of the inherent differences of rainfall and soil-moisture conditions.
Many will disagree strongly with some of the views expressed in the book, yet the authors are to be congratulated on a clear and forceful presentation, not only of the problem of feeding Britain but also of the need to secure the maximum possible use of her land- resources. Whatever the best solution to these problems may be, nothing but good can result from making the man-in-the-street more conscious of the precarious sources of his daily bread.
W. ELLISON.
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