REPARATIONS OR NO SETTLEMENT

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1947, Page 5

REPARATIONS OR NO SETTLEMENT

Press Assn.

RUSSIAN ULTIMATUM TO MOSCOW CONFERENCE DENOUNCED BY MR. MARSHALL

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Tuesday, 11.15 a.m. MOSCOW, March 31. The U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. Marshall, atthe Foreign Ministers' meeting today denounced Russia for delivering an ultimatum to the conference by the attitude that unless she received reparations from current German production no settlements could be reached. "Unless we can have a real meeting of minds, and a real desire to carry out that spirit to the letter of our agreements, it would be better if none were reached. We can never reach real agreement on the basis of an ultimatum or immovable positions." Mr. Marshall criticised the French for adoptmg the immovable attitude that they must have coal or they would agree to nothing.

Mr. Marshall said that the Rus-' sian proposals to reduce German imports so as to get reparations would reduce the Germans to a starvation diet. The United States opposed policies which would continue Germa'ny as a congested slum or economic poorhouse in the centre of Europe. The United States would later suhmit a proposal for the more effective development aird 'use of that part of Germany under Polish administration to meet Europe's food needs, continued Mr. Marshall.

The United States stood for Germany's economic unity, because it did not wish to see Germany partiuoned. It advocated a common plan to balance exports and imports at a liveable standard. "We must not permit our differences to stand in the way of Buropean recovery," declared Mr. Marshall. "We are here to resolve, not accentuate, our difficulties. The United States recognises its responsibilities in Europe will continue. It 1s more concerned in buildirg solidly than building fast."