Evening star., 1949-11-02
Europe's Need: A Revolution

Europe's Need: A Revolution
In his Paris address to the top repre-
sentatives of the countries participating
In the Marshall Plan, Economic Co-opera-
tion Administrator Paul G. Hoffman has
in effect called upon Western Europe to
undertake nothing less than far-reach-
ing revolution in the way it has been
earning its daily bread for generations
past.
Stated briefly with some oversimplifica-
ton, what Mr.. Hoffman has asked for is
this: That the Western Europeans, in
cluding the British, have ready early next
year joint program of concrete action
designed to carry them forward together
toward an integration of their separate
economies. The objective of this would
be to create single overall economy
which would constitute in itself a great
new self-sustaining area, whose 270,OO0, 600
inhabitants would represent vast market
for free-flowing trade and mass produc-
ton of sort now non-existent within
the region.
In other words, Mr.. Hoffman has chal-
lenged Western Europe to develop an
economy much like that of our own coun-
try. Thus, he would have the separate
nations harmonize their fiscal, monetary,
export-import, industrial and kindred
policies in such way as to make possible
a single market resembling that of our
forty-eight States-a market wide open
to free trade within itself, stimulating
great expansion In production and pro-
noting . steady rise In living standards.
To that end, all tariff barriers eventually
would be swept away, common currency
might in time be established, the present
split-up economic structure would grad
ually be cemented together, and the whole
region would evolve-slowly but surely
toward real unity
Viewed against the background of Euro
pean history, this proposal may seem to
be an idealistic reaching for the moon,
Some authoritative British spokesmen
have already suggested as much, and in
other Marshall-Plan countries a few un-
named officials have responded to the
idea with defeatist shrugs. The obstacles
standing In the way are undeniably
formidable. For example, how can Britain
maintain managed economy-which in
wolves such things as export and import
controls-and at the same time do what
Mr. Hoffman advocates? How can long
established agricultural and industrial
interests in France, or Sweden, or Belgium.
or Denmark be persuaded to integrate one
With the other? In short, how can ancient
rlvalries and deep-rooted traditional ways
OF doing business be transformed into a
common enterprise?=
These and similar questions merely
begin to suggest the difficulties involved
and Mr. Hoffman Is well aware of them.
yet, as he has. made clear in his Paris
address, Western Europe's integration-
despite everything that initiates against
Its IN fact not mere romantic dream
but practical necessity. It is a practical
necessity for the simple reason that the
Marsnall-Plan countries-when American
aid ceases In 1952-will face a recurrent
dollar crisis, will be driven back into a
vicious cycle OF economic nationalisni.
and will thus find themselves on the road
to ruin and exposed to Communist en-
gulfment unless they take bold measures
meanwhile, to pull together toward uni
f1cation.
AS Mr.. Hoffman assesses the situation
and his assessment seems perfectly sound
there Is simply no way OF getting around
the reality that the Western Europeans,
without such integration, will be following
course leading to poverty and disaster
Tor themselves. That Is why he has
urgently requested them to draft q pro-
gram to do away with their wilderness Of
clashing interests and their rival efforts
to achieve separate systems of self
sumciency. Certainly, as he has implicitly
warned, the Congress and people OF the
United States will not be disposed to ap-
propriate more billions for the Marshall
Plan without evidence of sincere move
ment In that direction.
Actually, revolutionary as 1t NAV be.
Mr.. Hofman's proposal is not new. In
recent years it has been advanced by many
leaders on the continent. Indeed It IL
as old as modern Europe, but it is partic
uiary urgent now, particularly pressing.
because the Second World War has left
shattered, for all time, the <prewar struc-
ture Of international economies. Az far
as the Western Europeans are concerned.
that means that their traditional way OF
doing things has become 50 obsolete that
If they do not move toward unity, they will
move toward catastrophe.
Steel Strike Breuk
The agreement reached between Philip
Murray and the Bethlehem Steel Cor
poration is reasonable adjustment of
dispute which should have been settled