Modern Review January 1944

The position was one which might easily be dislocated by an unexpected shock The entry of Japan into the war and our reverses in Malaya and Burma which brought the war to the borders of India provided the shock. [...] were aggravated by the natural disasters of cyclone :old floods; by neaness to the war; by the poverty of communications; and by the sparsenem of the administration due to the permanent land settlement. [...] and at the 'utile time place food within the means of the poorest connimene We must not aim to deprese prices in favour of the town to as to deprive the agriculturist who le the backbone of India's economy of a profit which will encourage him to grow the maximum amount of food crop; but he must not be greedy or he will cause distress =omit his less fortunate brethren. [...] You are aware of the main outlines of that I elieY which aims at the restoration of confidence the strict enforcement of the foodmins control order to pi event speculation and hoarding and the regulation and c‘introl of prices. [...] of pity and ontempt in the eyes of the rest of the world.