American Experts Believe Curtailment Needed

Chronicle (Levin), 3 September 1947, Page 5

American Experts Believe Curtailment Needed

Press Associatun)

(Per

Received Tuesday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 2. A Paris message states that American economic experts, after exchanging views with the five members of the executive committee of the European economic eonferenee, expressed the opinion that the sum total of the demands whieh the eonferenee proposes to present for aid under the Marshall plan should be reduced, that European willingness to increase and improve production by hal'd work , and saeri(ices was oil a lower scale than United States was entitled to expect, and that ' ' doctrinaire ' ' policies such as nationalisation were likely to interfei'e with the economic eft'ort needed. The Daily ' Telegraph 's diplomatie jorrespondent says these eriticisms were axpressed in a friendly spirit buf that it will be necessary for the Paris eonferenee to continue for at least another week in order to reduce the demands to an aeceptabie shape. Sir Oliver Franks, chairman of the Marshall -plan committee of European ,eooperation, has aunouneed that the committee would wind up its work and present its bill for European reconstruction before the middle of September. The committee adopted a draft report to serve as terms of reference for the future study of a European customs union. The committee also adopted a report pledging the participating Governments to strive to - put their integral linancial situations on a sound footing and ease trade restrietions. The Daily Herald's political eorrespondent says Cabinet is not taking into consideration in its planning any assistance Britain may receive under the : Marshall plan. The only elfeet of suehi aid would be to shorten the duration of j the austerity megsuies and modify anyj further cuts which may bave to be, made. Meanwhile the available mater-j ials must be distributed to the best possible advantage. This means that industries participaling in the export, drive are to be f.sked to step up their i production steeply and that others which are less essential may have their allocations drastically reduced or suspended altogether. This will involve in some areas large scale transfers of vvorkers who will be required to obtain new employment thiough the Ministry of Labour. Among the flrst of these will be garage workers rele&sed by the withdrawal of the basic petrol ration. Sir Stafford Cripps has been placed in charge of extensive. plans for Ihe reconstruction of intbislry and is working 14 hours daily on fi-em. One problem exevcising the Govern inent planners is that in reducing imports they do not cripple or impede important export industries and that they do not ereate refaliation which may close further export markets to Britain.