Evening star., 1947-07-19
"A .**THE EVENING STAR, Warrington, D. c
Western Allies Split
On Ruhr Coal Is Held
Marshall Plan Threat
By John M. Hiehtower
Asseeioted Press StoH Writer

A three sided disagreement
among the western Allies over
increasing Ruhr coal and indus
trial production today clouded
prospects of success for the Mar
shall plan to revive Europe's
economy.
It was the first time since the
recovery proposal was laid down by
Secretary of State Marshall on June
3 that ajor disagreement had sp-
peared in the ranks of the Western
nations.
They have stood firm otherwise
IN their determination to make the
plan succeed despite vigorous Rus
sian opposition. O
The disagreements were these:
1. Britain has rejected. after first
accepting, an American invitation
10 conference here beginning next
week on boosting Ruhr coal pro-
duction AZ one of the essential steps
in European recovery. Gen. Mar
shall himself has said that an in
crease IN coal is primary require
ment for making Europe well.
British Want More Topics.
The British do not object to this
but insisted that the conference
should take up wider variety OF
subjects, including food, level-of-
industry and how to continue pay
rnent for running the Western zone,
now divided equally between the
British and the United States. The
British have indicated they may
ask this country to assume greater
part of the burden.
If only coal was to be discussed,
the British said. the conference
should be held at Berlin, where their
experts are.
Meanwhile, the American experts
have already come here from Berlin
and the State Department has re-
jected the British alternative. This
put the next move up to London
where a Foreign Ofice spokesman
said Yesterday that the Battle OF
the Ruhr" between America and
Britain has begun.
French Fear Reich Industry.
2. The other disagreement arises
from French objection to any kind
of increase in the general level OF
German industry now. The French
DO not oppose greater coal produc-
ton but argue that If steel output
Is to be boosted 1t should be accom-
plished by removing the Ruhr plants
to France and thus avoiding what
the French consider buildup OF
German war potentials again.
The situation is further compli-
Gated by the fact that the British
and Americans at Berlin are re-
ported to have agreed already on a
large increase in the western Ger
man level of industry, although the
terms of the new agreement have
not vet been announced.
The French thus appear to be
protesting against something which
has in fact already happened. al
though the decisions have not been
frozen by formal announcement.
Views Given to Lovett.
French views were presented tc
Undersecretary of State Lovett yes
terday by Ambassador Henri Bon
net. The Ambassador told report
ers afterward:
The Paris Conference on the
Marshall plan Is going very we'll and
is likely to produce results in some.
thing like six weeks. But if, in the
meantime, France is faced with de-
cisions she cannot approve. the
conference could be greatly en-
dangered."
He advised particularly that INC
decision should be made which
would create 'fait accompli'' on
Germanys future during the con-
ference which would be "at the ex-
pense of the security of France and
the other neighbors Of Germany"
American officials said they were
somewhat puzzled by the British
Foreign Offce comment about "a
Battle of the Ruhr.r' In general
they said. the two occupying powers
have been getting along fairly well
in their efforts to run Western Ger
many on a partnership basis.
1t is considered here that what
the British really want is an oppor-
tunity to demand formally of the
United States that the $3.50
agreement for sharing the cost oi
supplying their merged zones with
food and other needed imports
should be cancelled and the United
States made to assume a larger
share of the cost.
OfIicials here say this is simply
out of the question because the
State Departments appropriation
requests have already been made t6
, Congress and Gen. Marshall has
said that he would not ask for ad.
ditional funds for European pur-
N.NSeS at THE SASS{np