Evening star., 1945-10-11

10 yInen Af1lfude
On Foreign Loans
The prospect that Congress
will not approve large-scale
loans to Russia and Great Brit
ain unless those nations alter
some of their present policies
increased today as the result of
a preliminary report by the
House Committee on Postwar
Economic Policy, which has just
concluded tour of Europe.
The group plans to present full
report to the House in about 10 days
and also to discuss their observa-
tions with President Truman.
Chairman Colmer and his six COL
leagues issued a statement last night
recommending that:
/. The Soviet Union adopt an
"open door" policy toward American
technicians and the press.
2. Britain reduce trade barriers
"inimical" to American interests.
g. Germany be reconstructed,
without ornaments, so it can feed
itself and in time again become a
factor in United States trade.
4. The United States expand field
forces handling disposal of billions
in surplus property abroad.
Both in the formal statement and
in individual remarks, some of the
committee members sharply criti-
cized Russian policies. The COM
mittee observed, among other things,
that the Soviets were moving Ger
man industry, lock, stock and bar
rel" and that this threatened to
place a burden of relief on the
United States and the United Ma
tions Relief and Rehabilitation Ad-
ministration.
Doesn't Promote Good Will.
General reaction to the committee
report was favorable on Capitol Hill,
although Chairman Bloom of the
House Foreign Affairs Committee
observed:
"They said what most Congress-
men probably believe, but that's not
the way to promote good relations.
You can't fight your way through
the world. You have to sit down
and talk things over with your
neighbors."
A high administration official,
asking that his name not be used,
commented:
THE feeling is almost unanimous
in Congress for cracking down on
Britain and Russia. It's too bad,
but that's the way it is. However, I
think we would be better off to re-
fleet these two views to the two
nations privately, instead of using a
big stick on them in public. Natu-
rally, they will resent a report such
as this one"
Main objection of committee
members to British policy centered
around its empire preference"
tariff rates. However, State Depart
ment officials pointed out that in
the current negotiations with the
British, who want a 0,000, 900
loan, revision of these rates is
under discussion.
Russian Policy Criticized.
Primary criticism in the report
centered around Russian policy, the
committee charging that Moscow's
attitude is raising a barrier to sue
cessful economic cooperation" The
committee suggested that no loans
be made to Russia until 1t had an
swered these questions satisfac-
torily:
/. How much of Russia's produc-
tion is to be devoted to war materials
and what percentage does she really
need?
2. What are Russia's statistics .onl
economic production?
8. viii Russia live up to inter-
national agreements and withdraw
troops from occupied countries?
4. What trade treaties have been
drawn up between Russia and it's
satellite nations and neighbors?
The committee also recommended
that UNRRA relief should be dis
tributed along nonpolitical lines
which do not permit Russia to
syphon off supplies to the mother
land.
During their stay in Moscow, the
committee members interviewed
Premier Stain. Representative
Wolcott, Republican, of Michigan,
one of the group, said he received
the impression that Russia is ask
ing $4,000, 100000 credit largely
on faith"
When members asked the Premier
how Russia planned to repay the
loan, he said, Mr.. Stain countered
with another question: Was China
asked how she proposed to repay
American loans? Then, he said, the
Soviet leader went into some detail
about the purposes for which loan
would be used and cited statistics
on Russias population and physical
resources.
Nevertheless" Mr.. Wolcott said,
Il received the impression that Rus
sia wants the money largely on
faith"
Members of the committee other
than Chairman Colmer and Repre-
sentative Wolcott were Representa-
tives Zimmerman, Democrat, of
Missouri; Wolverton, Republican, of
New Jersey; Hope, Republican, of
Kansas; Lefevre, Republican, of
New York; and Simpson, Republi-
can, of Illinois.
The group visited England, France,
Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium,
Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Ger
many, Russia, Persia, Egypt, Greece
and Italy.