Evening star., 1949-07-08

ments have been asked to sus-
pend temporarily the issuance
of licenses for imports requiring
payments in dollars. 1t was
emphasized that the request
was of temporary nature" to
bring the rest of the empire
into line with conditions pre-
vailing in Britain. The action
was taken by the Colonial Of
fee.
NATIONAL EMERGENCY Decree
Threatened in London Dock
Strike. Page A-4.
By the Associated Press
LONDON, July 8.-Dollar- short
Britain has secretly agreed to buy
nearly 100000 tons of coarse
grains from Russia in the next
year. official sources disclosed
today.
The informants added that
part of a barter deal agreement
was initiated in private in Moscow
last week-a few days before
Britains economic planners an
nounced three-month >stand-
still on dollar spending.
Talks for a one-year British
Russian trade pact have been
going on for some time. The
grain deal would form part Of
that year-long pact.
Disclosure of the grain deal
came as Secretary of the Treas
ury Snyder conferred with top
British government leaders on the
mounting dollar crisis.
Longer Term Pact Expected.
Negotiations for a longer term
British Soviet trade agreement
are expected to follow. Russia is
to supply a big quantity of wheat
over and above the coarse grains
oats, barley and corn, the in
formants said. They refused to
say how much.
Britain and Argentina signed .
five-year trade 2 agreement in
Buenos Aires June 81. That pact
was entered into despite American
objections that such two-nation
agreements violate the spirit of
free competitive international
trade.
The Buenos Aires accord pro-
vides that Britain will spend .
minimum of s129,0O0, 900 (s516.-
000, 0,00O annually for Argentine
products and Argentina mini
mum Of f121. $4,000 (S486, ,140.-
000) for British products.
American officials have ex-
pressed the fear that the British
Argentine agreement may keep
United States oil and farm ma
chinery off the Argentine market.
| Board of Trade Silent.
Board of Trade spokesmen made
no comment on the British-So-
Wet trade negotiations. They said
there is a complete shutdown on
information about the negotia-
tions. at least until talks going
on in London now for the full
year-long trade pact ends.
The grain deal was reached in
Moscow bv two Ministry of Food
officials. The Briton who in
itialed the grain deal is F. Pin
mock.
The arrangement is of great
Importance to Britain. This coun-
try buys much of its food from
countries like the United States
and Canada for dollars. But Brit
aims dollar resources are running
out and she is seeking to build
up alternative sources of supply
in the nondellar food producing
regions of the world.
Reds Need Capital Equipment.
Russia and other Eastern Euro
pean countries do not demand
dollar payment. They desperately
need machinery and capital equip
ment - things Britain can not
easily sell for dollars.
Britain therefore hopes to con-
clude big-scale barter agree
ment with Russia which is ex-
pected to exceed $400. 0.000. 900 in
value both ways over the next
12-month period.
Apart from the wheat, oats.
barley and corn Russia wants to
send Britain timber, some potash
and canned fish. In return Britain
(See BRITAIN, Page A-40
C.n1nv pood;n1