Evening star., 1948-05-30
Marshall Plan
IsOne eYearOld
Has Already Changed the
Worlds Political
Appearance
By Siqrid Arne

Just year ago this coming week
Secretary of State Marshall proposed
a plan for aid to war-wrecked
nations.
The first ships carrying actual
Marshall Plan aid to Europe nosed
out of Galveston Harbor only a
month ago. But in the past IL
months of congressional debate and
of negotiations with the Europeans
and Chinese the plan has already
forced history-making changes on
the political face of the globe.
Stated at Harvard University
June S, 1947, 1t was frankly plan
to stem communism and to aid the
free peoples of the world. Both the
President and Marshall have said so.
1t is credited largely with defeat
ing the Italian Communists.
Because Of Marshall's demand
that the Europeans get together to
help themselves, Is nations of West
ern Europe are laying plans for
economic cooperation such as the
world has never seen.
Idea Snowballed
| Once started, the idea of co-opera-
ton snowballed so rapidly that in
March five of the nations-Britain
France, the Netherlands, Belgium
and Luxembourg-met in Brussels
to sign 50-year promise to defend
each other against aggression. They
left the gate open for other nations.
In May the notion of a common
destiny for Europe went further.
Six hundred delegates from %
nations met at The Hague as citizens
not as government delegates-to
hear Winston ChurchilIs plea for
a European federation. Churchill's
idea got majority support.
From the western viewpoint, the
Marshall Plan backfired> in Czecho-
slovakia and Finland. Communists
overthrew the Czech republican gov
eminent in March. Reports credited
the coup to Communist anxiety over
the swift Western European march
toward a common future.
Finland signed treaty with the
Soviets in April, although the Fin
nish government was left intact.
Again reports credited the Russians
diplomatic stroke to the activity in
the west.
Experts now think that a United
States of Europe is possible. Sec
retary Marshall has said. ut is GER
tainly our great hope"
The flow of food. machines, fer
tilizers, seeds, raw materials which
started on May l with Marshall
Plan funds is nothing new. Aid is
merely being handled in new way.
Since 1914, American aid has gone
to Europe and China, under UNRRA
at first and then under loans to
individual nations. The new ele-
ment is the way in which the lender
(the United States) is Tightening
up the rules.
Paul G. Hoffman, who will direct
the plan, has detailed the following
high spots:
l. Aid will be shut OF to any ma
ton which ships war machinehry to
the Russian bloc.
2. We will ship only goods that
can be safely spared"
3. To get aid the Europeans will
have to reduce trade barriers, de-
velop their common resources to-
gether, turn out more goods ana
export more, set up more stable
fiscal policies.
Each Of the receiving nations must
sign a formal agreement with the
United States by July 3. The ma
tions which have agreed. informally,
to cooperate are Austria. Belgium,
Denmark, France. Greece, Iceland,
Fire, Italy. Luxembourg, the Neither
lands, Norway. Portugal. Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey and the United
Kingdom.
Distributed b ths Associated PrsMJ