CONCESSIONS ON EMPIRE PREFERENCES

Chronicle (Levin), 6 October 1947, Page 5

CONCESSIONS ON EMPIRE PREFERENCES

Eeceived Sunday, 8.50 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 5. "Britain is about to make eoncessions to the United States on Empire preferences though these are not nearly as sweeping as those which the United States has repeatedly demancied," says the Washington correspondent of the Daily Eypress. "The position as reported in Washington is now: Eirstly, Britain, refusing lower preferences as much as the United States wahted, will not herself ohtain such large cuts in Ameriean tariffs as was once thought possihle; secondly, America will get the virtual elimination of a suhstantial number of preferences; thirdly, the Dominions will have to make higger cuts in their own preferences than they had the notion of doing when the conferences hegan. ' ' Australian offieials at Gene va pointed out that had it heen made clear to ihe United States representa- . tives that both the United Kingdom and the Dominions would maintain their policy of quid pro quo and the Dominion representatives indicatea clearly that they were not prepared to grant anything like the requests which the United Stgtes made." Multilateral tariff and trade arrangements between 18 countries doing 8Q per cent. of the world 's trade were expected to become effective on January 1, said Dr. Clair Wilcox, Director of the State Department's Office of International Trade Policy, on his return to America from the preparatory committee meeting at Geneva where he was vice-chairman of the United States delegation. The tariff agreement was complete except on the issue of the British Empire preference system which was still under negotiation. He said the tariff agreement would he hinding upon the 18 countries, including the United States, upon their signature even if difficulties over the ratification of the amended International Trade Organisation charter were experienced at the Havana World Conference on November 21. The agreement would run for three years with the right to denounce it after two and a half years and six months' notice.