MARSHALL AID WELCOMED

Chronicle (Levin), 2 July 1948, Page 5

MARSHALL AID WELCOMED

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter,

Original Tags Have Now Been Removed

Copyright)

Received Thursdav, 7 p.m. LONDON, July 1. The British Press, with the exception ol: Beaverbrook newspapers and the Ooninuinist Daily Worker, welcomes the terins^of the Anglo-Atnerican agreement 011 Marshall Aid. The Times says: "Although detaiis of the pact Will leave aniple rooni for I'ontroversy, critics of the agreement nnist search their c-onsciem'es and satisfv tlietnselves whether it is really possible to reject the generous aid proferred liy the ITiited States, and also deeide whether it is possible to aecept all that a rejeetion 4of MarshalJ Aid would niean. " The Times rentarks that it was difficult to perceive anv' abrogation of any important rights or any infringement of sovereignty, in the detailed provisions of the agreement. The .Manchester Guardian savs: "None of the sixteen .Marshall Aid Nations ciin have many misgivings al)Out siguing the agreement 011 the lines now announced. In Britain it is hani to see that anyone ean oppose it except Communists and a fevr disgruntled Tories wlio think the neglected Oolonial Ehipire ean ovefnight become a goose laying for us golden eggs as good as dollars. " The Guardian expresses the opinion that the detailed provisions of the pact do no more than to give the Americans reasonable safeguards against the misuse of Marshall Aid. The Glasgow Herald says: "The> agreement seems so inherentlv reasonable that oue is tempted to a wonder whether sonie countries will not escape too easilv rather than to complain that we have been treated too hardly. There is wide agreement that increased European cooperation is essential and that it is impossible — as is British recovery — without American aid. Thefe is 110 sign that we are to pa.v extravagantl.v for it. " The Xews - Chroniele says it is plain that the original "strings" attaehed to .Marshall Aid have now been removed and that there i> nothing in the tinui document whicii ne.ed eause Britain anv copcern ''The Kuropean recovery progratnme is not only an act of far-sighted statesinanship involving considerable sacriiices by the American people, " reniarks the Chroniele. " but it is also a straightforward business deal. Like any other business deal, it must be guaranteed and regulated bv a contract. ' ' The Dailv Express whieh, with ollier Beaverbrook papers, has consisteitlly opposed Marshall Aid, deseribes the pact as a bad agreement and i-liiims that by accepting it, Britain abamlons the iinpulse to achieve her own recoverv th rough developing the Empire. " Patriotic men will regret the tendency so vastlv st ren'gthened by th is itgreement, to turn to Enrope at ti nioment when mighty- enterprises beckon in the ImperiAl heritage, " says the Express. " Commitments which admit of 110 discrimination of treatment between a country that is British and a country that is not British, must weaken still further "the economic fabric > of the Empire. ' '