Those who imagine the sending of a little food to the starving millions in Asia is building up “goodwill” towards us are reasoning with their hearts instead of their heads. How much goodwill did Britain build up in Russia by the hundreds of millions of pounds worth of materials, so badly needed for herself, which she sent at such tremendous cost in British lives and treasure? How much goodwill in China for building the great city of Shanghai, or transforming the barren rock of Hong Kong into a great port? How much in Egypt and Persia for the millions spent there that the avarice of a Mossadeq or the eloquence of a fanatic Dervish or a self-seeking demagogue could not dissipate in a few minutes?

The solution of each country’s troubles lies within its own borders, by restriction of population, expansion of food production, or expansion of its borders at others’ expense. We are told that every day eight million tons of soil find their way to the sea bed, thus raising the sea level by that extent; that ice caps on mountains and at the poles are receding, putting more water into the oceans, and resulting in floodings such as those in Holland and England.

Our attitude to Asia is summed up adequately in the story of Dives and Lazarus — “Keep outside our gates and we will throw you a few crumbs”: the result being the saving, perhaps, of one dying of starvation this year so that two may die from the same cause in a year or two hence.

— VIGILANT.