All Nations Benefit By European Recovery

Chronicle (Levin), 14 May 1949, Page 5

All Nations Benefit By European Recovery

Received Friday- 7.50 p.m. LONDON, May 13. The United States Ambassador at Large for the European Recovery Pro-gr-amme (Mr Averell Harrimau) stated in Annecy (France), that the succes.of the programme was almost as vital to non-participating countries as it was to Marshall Plan countries themselves. Mr. Harri-man went to Annecy to address delegates to the conferenee of 34 States negotiating tariif concession^ under the 1947 Geneva agreement. Mr Hai'riman said he was convinced that the sucpess of the European recovery programme "would be impossible io a system made up of small autarchie and uneconomical national trading units each one dedicated.to self-defeatmg anu self-sufficiency, and each one standing apart from his neighbour with ingem ously stultifying restrictions. " He added that the situation had to bc faced that ifl three years Western Eu rope must become self-supportmg whicii was quite dift'erent from self-sulficiency. Before three years had eiapsed thi. L'ramework of a self-supporting eeonomy must be eompleted. Mr Harrimau said that the largesi task confrouting the free world was thfestablishment of a system that would reduee trade barriers, provide for eeo nomic specialisation, increase produc tivity, aiid contribute to the solation it the fundamental balance of payments. problems. He said aid to Europe was supported by an overwhelming majorit\ of Americans. even thpugh this year i. had cost the average American family about £35 in taxation.