Evening star., 1944-07-11
Soviet Fights Efforts
Al Monetary Farley 10
Unvei| Trade Secrets
~ the Associates press.

~ the ASsoclateo PfeSS.
BRETON WOODS, N. H.. July
ll.-Russia left with the United Ma
tions Monetary Conference today a
reminder that she Is not yet con-
vinced Of the necessity for opening
completely the books on her internal
economy to the rest Of the world.
As the parley prepared to divide
It's attention between proposals for
currency stabilization fund and a
world reconstruction bank, reports
gained circulation that the Soviet
delegation strongly resisted efforts
to adopt an information report"
provision that would have lifted the
veil on many Of RusSia's secrets.
Some of the information that
would have been required presum-
ably included the extent of her gold
holdings and production, capital
movements, foreign trade volume
and exchange rates. The provision
would. OF course. apply to all par
ticipating nations.
Basis for Fixing Quotas.
1t has been regarded as important
because 1t would provide the basis
for determining quotas; the amounts
OF money each country would have
to put into the two schemes.
The issue cropped up at formal
conference session yesterday, sew
eral delegates reported, but quickly
was returned to committee.
One version was that both the
Soviet group and the United States
delegations submitted lists of items
10 be covered in the information
return, with the Russians agreeing
in principle" that the projects
must have access to certain data.
At least two items remained in
dispuate. however, informed sources
said. These included the matter OF
gold production and price levels
within the Soviet Union.
The Soviet attitude, it was re-
ported. was that Russia should not
be required to furnish information
she might not have in exact terms.
The Americans repeatedly countered
that such facts apparently were
BILE in Moscow.
Session Called Successful.
In addition to an apparent pref
erence for continued secrecy on some
of her internal affairs, Russia was
reported still determined that she
should not have to contribute al the
outset the proportionate share of
gold as countries not devastated by
war. A conference spokesman. with
out mentioning the Soviet Union by
name, said r provision that would
govern such special trea tment also
was recommitted Earlier reports
indicated an effort to drop the
proviso.
Despite failure to reach agree
ment on those issues, yesterdays
session was described officially as
very successful" Along with an
enormous amount" of work accept
ed, 1t brought unanimous agreement
to toss out of the conference one of
its potentially hottest hot potatoes"
the subject of blocked war bal
ances.
These. estimated by the British to
be approaching $1,000. .OOO, 900. arose
from the necessity for Great Britain
TO spend prodigiously for the war
even after she liquidated her assets
abroad. Held primarily by India
and Egypt, the sterling credits are so
frozen as to make them spendable !
only in great Britain, now unable to
produce for export.
U. s. Clinches Issue.
To what was officially described as
a most eloquent" Indian plea for
the conference to lend a hand. the
British replied that they alone |
could handle the matter and were
determined to settle honorably
what was honorably and generously |
given
The American delegation clinched
the issue with an appeal to con-
hne the proposed sterilization fund |
10 its originally stated purposes. The
French Committee of National Lib !
Grafton supported this view, adding
that the occupied countries of Eu-
rope have no intention of asking
the fund to help them unblock an
estimated $4,000, 100000 in German n
credits foiSted on them by Nazi ex-
port-import controls.
A group headed by Lord Keynes
OF Great Britain. assigned to pilot
the world bank proposal through
the conference, will hold its first
formal working session late TODAY.
Another meeting of the sterilization
fund section is set for Thursday.