Marshall Aid Nations Plan Freer Flow Of Goods Within Europe

Chronicle (Levin), 2 November 1949, Page 5

Marshall Aid Nations Plan Freer Flow Of Goods Within Europe

Received Wednesday, 10 a.m. r, , , , PARIS, Nov. 1. . Delegates from the 18 nations receiving Marshall aid met in Paris today to consider the plan drafted last night in answer to the plea from the Marshall Plan administrator, Mr. Paul Honman, to get together or faee disaster. . The plan is intended to restore the free-flow of goods within Western Europe and detail national economies into one economic whole.

France today agreed to Britain's proposal to free 50 per cent. of her Wes-tern trade from import quotas, but decided to submit amendments to prevent the percentage from being applied automatically and to ' permit continued discrimination against some products. Dramatic Call Applauded. "Mr. Hoffman's dramatic call has suddenly set the British trade crisis in a wider world context," says The iTimes. "His message is straightiforward. In order to pay their dollar bills in two years' time and in order to make use of doilar help . meanwhile, the countries of 'Westj ern Europe must do business freely together. Many. years have gone by since free trade was given such high backing. (Never perhaps in modern times has an American leader, backed by his Government, i given such a blessing to trade without restraint of controls 'or tariffs*." The Daily Telegraph says: "If ,Mr. Hoffman's speech was what the Americans call getting tough, let us khave more of such stimulating and constructive toughness." The Financial. Times describes the speech as "b'alanced and sensible," but adds that none of Mr. Hoffman's proposals will produce results "unless they are accompanied by complementary action on the other' side of the Atlantic."