Western Europe's Recovery Close To Miracle

Chronicle (Levin), 9 November 1949, Page 5

Western Europe's Recovery Close To Miracle

(R.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter.

, Copyright)

Received Tuesday, 9 p.m. WASHINGTON, Nov. 7., The progress of Western Europe toward economic recovery was "something close to a miracle," said , ! the Economic Cooperation Administrator, Mr. Paul Hoffman. He declared that Marshall plan funds had removed the danger of Western Europe falling into the Russian orbit. Europe is now in no danger. The American people, ' through this expenditure, have never got so much for so little. Mr. Hoffman said there was hope for a second miracle if the efforts to achieve a unified, integrated European eeonomy were successful. ' Europe's production had already reached prewar levels. He added [that although European production 1 had steadily increased in the past 18 | months European countries must i strive after completely free trade as early as possible. Mr. Hoffman said Sir Stafford Cripps had been very active in securing the acceptance of the proposals to reduce by 50 per cent. items under quantitive restrictions. • He was satisfied with the British approach at the Paris meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Organisation for European Economic Cooperation as outlined by Cripps. Mr. Hoffman said it' was appreciated that Britain had obligations to the sterling area area and to the British Empire which had to be taken into account.