Evening star., 1945-09-11
knutson Hits British
Laborite Government
AS Aid Talks Open
BY JOSEPH H. BAIRD.

Only few hours before Anglo
American negotiators were sched-
uled to open their first meeting
today to discuss United States post
war financial aid to Britain.
congressional attack was opened on
the Laborite governments plans to
socialize industry.
In an address prepared for de-
livery before the House, Represen-
tative Knutson, Republican, of
Minnesota, declared.
The American people are being
asked to finance the socialization of
the United Kingdom through the
forcible acquisition of business and
industry
Just what kind of saps do they
think we are?"
British Seek Three Billions.
The United Kingdom Is under
stood to be seeking a minimum of
So ,000, 100000 in credits.
The Anglo-American talks. ex-
pected to last about month, will be
the prelude for others in which the
Russians, Belgians, Dutch and prob
ably other nations will seek United
States help in reorganizing their
economies. France has already OBJ
tained limited aid but probably will
ask for more.
Principals at today's meeting will
be the Earl of Halifax, the British
Ambassador. and Assistant Secre-
tary of State Will l.. CLAYTON
Numerous other Government Of
ficials and technical experts on both
sides will take part in the talks
which seem likely to assume the
magnitude OF full-dress confer
ence.
Spaak to Arrive Today.
| Foreign Minister Paul Henri
Spaak of Belgium, accompanied by
Baron de Gruben, assistant director
general OF the Foreign Office, was
scheduled to arrive here late today
to begin preliminary talks with
American officials on settlement OF
his country's lease-lend account ano
future credits.
M. Spaak. who arrived in New
York last night by plane from Brus-
sells. is to be followed shortly by Q
staff of financial advisers, accord.
i ing to the Belgian Embassy.
II The conversations are designed tt
set up an organization consisting o1
committees on the scores of tech.
nical subjects which must arise.
Keynes TO Advise.
! The Ambassador principal ad.
visers will be Lord Keynes, inter.
nationally known economist and ad.
wiser to the British Treasury, anc
Robert H. BRAND, chief of the Brit.
ish Treasury delegation here.
On the American side, in addition
to Mr.. Clayton, some of the prin.
cipal participants will be Secretary
Of the Treasury vinson. Assistant
Secretary Harry D. White, Frank
Coe, director OF monetary research
for the Treasury: Mariner S. Ec.
cles, chairman of the Federal Re.
serve Board, and DR.. Amos Taylor
trade expert of the Commerce De-
partment
After the organizational phase OF
the conference is completed it is
expected that Lord Keynes and
Mr.. White will assume the main
burden of directing the negotia-
tions.
! Keynes Visits Treasury.
! Lord Keynes, it is learned, visited
the Treasury unofficslly last Satur-
day to meet the officials with whom
he will deal there and exchange
preliminary ideas on the machinery
Of the conferences.
| In his prepared address Mr.
Knutson said 1T is inconceivable to
me that President Truman and the
Congress will permit billions to be
taken out of the American Treasury
and given to foreign countries to be
used for appropriation of privately
owned and operated property. espe-
cially in view of the depleted con-
dltion OF our own Treasury.
I'VE should tell the government
of the United Kingdom that If they
"lsli " loiCiuiy Idkc over ali major
private activities they must them
selves finance it and, failing in that
they should look to Moscow for such
financing"
The first public statement of tn,
British aims here is expected to be
made at a press conference sched
uled by Lord Halifax tomorrow Al
the British Embassy. Then offica
negotiations will be resumed thu
following day.