The Wilmington morning star., 1947-09-28
l6 EUROPEAN
Continued From Page One)

It requested US. dollars to
help buy these things but did
not say how or when these dol
lars would be repaid.
The document estimated the
countries involved would re-
quire some $35, 900, 900, 600
worth of goods from North and
South America in the four
years.
It contemplated that they
could pay through exports or
other means for all except $22,-
$40, 0OO, 900 worth. 1t set out that
the nations we're asking the In
ternational Bank for Re-
construction and Development
(World Bank) for a loan to COW
cover purchases worth $780,
900, 900 - electrical generators,
petroleum equipment, freight
cars, locomotives and steel
plants.
The remaining $780, 900, 600,
the document said, is being re-
quested of the US.
"The scale of destruction and
disruption Of European econom-
ic life was far greater than that
which Europe had experienced
in the first world war;" the re-
port declared.
It pointed out that more than
half of Europe's 1000, 600
freight cars had been destroyed
or damaged, bread grain crops
had fallen off one-third, and
industrial production in Bel
GUM, France and the Neither
lands was reduced 80 to 40 per
cent"
Mining machinery needed i'm
mediately amounts to 1920, 000-
900 and farming machinery ST.
1873, 900, 900. These items. would
be obtained from the United
States.
Within the next four years,
the report said, western Europe
will have to import $500, 000, 900
worth of coal from the US. and
&, 200, 600, 900 worth of pc
troleum products.
The US. also is asked to fur
nish 81, 200, 600, 900 in iron and
steel, $500, 900, 900 in timber and
wood pulp, and $1,000. 600, 900
in cotton, wool, n~on-ferrous ores,
hides and leather and other
lesser items.
Western Europe has called
upon other countries in the
western hemisphere to furnish
$40, 900, 900 worth of iron and
steel, $500, 600, 900 in timber, and
SIS, 70, 600, 900 in cotton, wool,
non-ferrous ores, paper, pulp,
hides, leather and other COM
modities in lesser amounts.
AS suggested by William L..
Clayton, US. under secretary of
state, the report contains a plan
to organize a customs union.
Austria, Belgium, Britain, Den
mark, France, Greece. Ireland:
Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Holland, Portugal and Turkey
formed a study group to exam
inc the problems involved.
Sweden, Norway, and Swift
erland SHE'D away from this or
ganization, fearing its political
implications. When Russia, Fin
land, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria,
Romania, Poland and Yugo-
slavia refused to attend the con-
ference, the Scandinavian coun-
tries and Switzerland made it
clear they would attend SO long
as the conference remained on
an economic basis.
The report made it clear that
the action which the participa-
ting countries could take to
modernize their industry and
restore their economies is limit
ed.
"The maladiustment can new
er be corrected on a basis of
expanding trade unless market
conditions in the American con-
tinent permit Europe to sell
goods there in steadily increas-
ing quantities and permit other
countries to earn dollars there
and use them tn purchase f-on
E1rone," it said.
"The contribution II this
world problem which Europe
can make by it's own eyertions
is If prime Importance"
The report foreshadowed the
possibility that western German
steel production NAV be pushed
up to almost two-thirds If It's
top 1888 neak and her coal nro-
duction almost to the level Of
that bio pre-war year within
fC''~ wears.
This possibility wae hadoed
about by strict tachrica7 an1
po]icv reservations, most of
which depend on tho Allied con-
troll authorities in Germany for
decision.
In 1888. its best nre-war veor.
western Germany fired her fur
naces nrodrcing arnoome,4e
with 206. o0o. ono tons of coal.
This YEARS. nroduc+ion Sc os-
t'mated in the renor+ % 1873
nnn 00n tone. h',+ tho 1oS1 "4o~-
set doto" r~cI-o+;on r-I,~ the