Evening star., 1948-12-05
Europe Recovering
Rapidly Under ERP,
Committee Reports
BY ]. A. OLeory

Figures showing that the Mar
shall Plan countries are making
substantial gains this year in in
dustrial production and in rails
ing several basic food crops were
made public last night in a re-
port of the technical staff of the
joint congressional committee
supervising the aid program.
The experts made it clear, how
ever, that they think more time will
be needed to determine whether the
10 nations working together through
the Organization for European Eco
nomic Cooperation are achieving
"a real unification of Western Eu-
rope" or merely the cooperation
necessary to receive American aid
In releasing the report Senator
Smith, Republican, of New Jersey
acting chairman of the Watchdog
committee. emphasized that 1t rep
resents only the findings of the
staff, and has not been passed on
by the committee.
Comments on Unity Of Europe.
Commenting on the broad OBJ
1ective of uniting Western Europe,
the staff report reads:
To what extent the OEEC Or
ganization and accomplishments SO
far represent a real unification of
Western Europe is difficult to de-
termine Mr. Hoffman paul G.
Hoffman, ECA Administrator has
emphasized the significance of the
fact that representatives of the par
ticipating countries have worked to-
gether over a period of months de-
batting controversial issues and
reaching solutions which it was
possible for them all to agree on in
most instances.
s"On the other hand. it should be
pointed out that the United King
dom is charged unofficially by rep
resentatives of other participating
nations with not going all out to
bring about European unification
because of her uncertainty as to
whether she would be better off o
base her future on her leadership
Of the British Empire or whether
she should throw in her lot with
Western Europe.
French Situation Cited.
Furthermore, the political un-
certainties within France have made
1t impossible for that country to play
the role in the OEEC which her size
and location would indicate she
should.
LAS consequence of these doubts,
1t apparently remains to be deter
mined whether the OEEC is to fill
the role of the organization estab-
lished by the nations of Western
Europe to further economic uniica-
tion at whatever sacrifice to their
own national prestige may be neces-
sary, or whether, on the other hand.
the OEEC exists merely because it
is necessary to have such an or
ganization if the countries of Europe
ARE to receive the aid made avail
able under the Economic Co-opera-
tion Act of 1948"
On the bright side of the picture,
the staff listed the following signs
of improvement in the cooperating
countries:
The bread ration has been in
creased in France. The bread ration
In Italy has been increased and the
bread subsidy removed.
German Ration Increased.
1.-THE normal consumer ration In
Germany has been increased from
1850 to 1850 calories and the fats
and oil rations from 100 grams to 500
grams month.
"A million tons Of fertilizer are
being produced in Europe this year
compared with $50, 900 tons last year.
Electric power production is 10
per cent better than in 1947.
The French refining industry Is
operating at 80 per cent of prewar
capacity.
"Steel production in participating
COullLIlcS Is 81 pei SSIlS OFSA Ao1''
and for the year to date is 6 per
cent in excess Of the target set.
Italian Railroads Restored.
"In Italy where 1000 miles OF
track and 1000 bridges had been
destroyed by war, 1000 bridges have
been rebuilt and the railroad system
Is operating at 80 per cent of pre-
war efficiency"
The report explains that these
are cited only as illustrations, be-
cause the ECA has made no compre-
hensive appraisal pending final
analysis of the OEEC program for
the fiscal year 1948-49.
The report is in the form of 95-
page QUESTIONABLE. and probably
will be used by the joint committee
when it meets soon after Christmas
to draw up its own conclusions. 1t
contains answers to hundreds OF
questions which were submitted to