Evening star., 1945-07-19
Taft Seeks End
ToCurrency
|ExchangeRuIes
Fight Not Expected
To Delay Passage of
Breton Woods Plan
BY J. A. O'LEARY.

Senator Taft, Republican, of
Ohio today fought for a last
minute change in the Breton
Woods world monetary agree
ment designed to force nations
to drop wartime currency ex-
change restrictions, but Senats
leaders expect to pass the bill
before evening without -this or
other reservations.
Earlier the Senate rejected with
out roll call the amendment of
Senator Thomas, Democrat, of Okla
homa intended to restate this coun-
try's adherence to the gold standard.
Senator Taft charged that, while
elimination of exchange restrictions
Is one of the announced detectives
of the Breton Woods agreement,
England plans to continue such dis
examinations as the sterling bloc
area indefinitely during the postwar
transition period.
Under the Taft amendment q
nation could not draw on the inter-
national stabilization fund until it
removes any existing exchange re-
strictions.
Would Kill Agreement.
Majority Leader Barkley told the
Senate such an amendment would
kill the entire agreement and neces-
state another Breton Woods con-
ference. He said it was recognized
by the rest of the world, in drawing
up the present agreement, that Eng
land could not lift its wartime cur
rency restrictions Immediately.
Three important bills, including
the Breton Woods agreement, are
expected to pass the Senate and be
dispatched to the White House be-
fore the House begins its recess of
nearly three months Saturday. The
Senate will remain here until it
ratifies the United Nations Charter,
on which debate will start Monday.
The two other must" measures
are the reconversion tax bill and
the proposed increase of $4,000 ,O00,-
600 in the lending authority of the
Export-Import Bank to enable it to
extend financial aid to Allied coun-
tries while the Breton Woods or
ganization is in process of being
set up.
House Votes Recess.
The House voted late yesterday
to recess this week end until Octo-
Der 8.
The Breton Woods program
weathered its heaviest attack yester-
day when Senator Taft failed, So to
81, in an effort to postpone action
until November IS.
Although Senator Taft's postpone
ment move failed, it got some mex-
pected support. For example, Sena-
tor Ball, Republican, of Minnesota,
one Of the leading advocates of in
ternational cooperation, voted for
the delay on the ground that the
United States should not lay all of
its financial cards on the table until
the other nations show some of their
cards.
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favors the Breton Woods agree
ment and will vote for it if the issue
is to be decided now, but he said
Senator Taft proved his contention
that there is no need for hasty ac-
ton.
Limit on Debate Blocked.
Senator Ball also argued that 1t
would strengthen President Tru-
mans hand at the current Potsdam
Conferences if the Senate with
holds action on the world monetary
plan until the meetings are over.
This brought Majority Leader
Barkley to his feet, insisting that the
President, who must do the confer
ring, does not share that view.
Senator Ball later blocked a move
by Senator Barkley to limit debate
today, again urging the Senate to
take its time in discussing Breton
Woods. Earlier, Senator Ball told
his colleagues that the United States
finds itself too often in a bad bar
gaining position by making its COM
mitmpntS too SOON