FIRST RUSSIAN COMMENT ON MR. MARSHALL'S PLAN OF AID FOR EUROPE

Chronicle (Levin), 17 June 1947, Page 5

FIRST RUSSIAN COMMENT ON MR. MARSHALL'S PLAN OF AID FOR EUROPE

, Press Assn.

By Telegraph

9 -Copyright

, Received Tuesday, 10.15 a.m. LONDON, June 16. In its first comment on Mr. Marshall's aid for Europ.e proposal, the Moscow newspaper Pravda described it as an effort to convince Americans that the approaching economic crisis in the United States had -diclated dojllar expansion. The plan was designed for rnterfer.ance in uther countries' domestic affairs. As soon as any country, for instance Hungary, purges her Government and bodies of cbnspirators are convicted in court there imrnediately sounds the United States' bossy shout.

Pravda added : "Europe is -being told to elaborate for itaelf a united universal programme of economic restoration and the United States role is to be that of supporting this programme — in other words this programme must be submitted to the Americans. Mr. Marshall stated that the United States' policies were not direct ed against any country or doctrine, and that any Government which undertook manoeuvres aimed at obstructing the restoration of other countries could not expect aid from •the United States. There should be no doubt which nations come under this mysterious reservation. Mr. Marshall announced in the same speech the postponement of credits already granted to Hungary." •Reu'ter's diplomatic correspondent says it is feared in London diplomatic quarters that approaches which Britain is making to Moscow7 in connection with Mr. Marshall's aid for Europe plan are now foredoomed to failure. Pravda's denunciation has dashed hopes which have been growing in the past ten days in London, where Mr. Marshall's plan has been regarded as a promising means of bridging the widening East-West gulf.