Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-07-07
By SAMUEL CROWTHER
Famou. Author and Economist
Written Expressly for the Hesrst
Newspapers.

DRETTON WOODS, n. H..
~ July AS this quantity
entitled monetary conference
proceeds, 1t is becoming plainly
evident that il should not have
been called.
1t is raising questions with
out power 10 settle them. Its
promoters are now desperately
anxious TO tuck IL into bed.
II was called for the purely
political purpose of impressing
upon the voters of the United
States that the Roosevelt admin
istration holds in its hands the
future. not only Of this country,
but of the world and therefore
its tenure in office should not
be disturbed.
That is why, in the Presidents
message 10 the conference and
in Secretary Morgenthau's open
ing address, it was represented
that the millennium would begin
practically at once il the dele
gates signed on the dotted line.
THE delegates were expected
TO go through few motions.
make some spreadeagle speeches.
offer harmless suggestions and
tremendously sign a paper that
had been prepared in secret by
a group OF what are called ex-
perts.
In the meantime, the Amer
lean public. through careful re-
leases TO the press. would be
educated 10 a new way OF think
ing.
That program was considered
very clever. 1t is not working
out. All but two of the delegs-
tionS are content to 60 through
with the original plan. They
have nothing to lose and every
thing to gain.
Ii has been noted that the
two largest delegations next TO
that of the United States were
sent by the Soviet and the Nan
king governments.
THIS at first seemed remark
- able because Russia has a
closed economy and is not inter-
ested in international trade as
such. or in borrowing, while the
Marking Chinese government is
cut off from all trade and post
war rehabilitatio is far in the
distance.
1t now appears that Russia
and China sent their brilliant
delegations not 10 get the air,
but to secure for themselves
certain large and very concrete
concessions.
II these demands are brought
into the open, the conference
will nose dive into chaos and an
acute diplomatic crisis may
result.
This crisis might cause the
Russians 10 make an immediate
and separate peace with Ger
many.
1t might cause the tottering
Chinese government to abdicste.
1t is the fear of such crisis
that has thrown the administra-
ton into a near panic.
This accounts for the almost
daily statements or speeches on
the Importance of the confer
ence reaching an agreement.
THE emphasis is now on reach
ing an agreement rather
than on what the agreement
should be about.
This puts any one who be-
lieves in honest. straightforward
criticism in a most unpleasant
position.
The administration is taking
the pose that the apparent
unity of the United Nations is
10 he preserved Al all costs. and
that any spoken or written word
which might affect the appear
ance of unity is disloyal,
The appearance is put above
the actually. That forces a
critic 10 make very grave
choice. l have made the choice.
l believe, without in any way
questioning the good faith of
the propoSers, that the various
plans and formul as being
worked out by this conference
would, if put into practice, not
only operate against the best
interests of the United States
but would also make for world
Imperialism, chaos and the deg
radiation Of the common man.
further believe that il the
accord of the United Nations
depends on fabric of promises
Whicb canpot ha fuIfiIlod 10