Evening star., 1949-09-04
BrUtter
Continued From Page CID

scale which Paul Hoffman has
been so strongly urging in Europe.
The British must both buy less
abroad and earn more hard money
abroad. To do this they must
compete on a price and quality
basis, giving more value for less
price. That is something easier
said than done.
And what can we do for Britain,
short of more gifts which Congress
at the moment contemplates with
no appetite? One thing is sure:
The administration is not In favor
Of paying a higher price for goldd.
Another thing "out OF the win
dow" is economic union with
Britain. Lower United States i'm
port duties would help.
A marriage between the dollar
and the British pound has not
today the remotest chance OF
adoption, Secretary of the Treas
ury Snyder has made clear. While
it would help Britain, the effects
on the dollar would be like a
TRANSMISSION of blood from an all
ing body. Lower United States
import duties and more lenient
customs practices which the Brit
ish are urging probably would be
of some help in the British prob
lem, certainly in selected lines;
but in general our tariffs are now
back to 1914 levels.
Increased United States stock
piling of strategic and critical
materials produced in the sterling
area Is being urged as an aid to
Britain. This would be OF some
assistance, and from our stand
point makes a great deal of sense,
provided the program does not
conceal subsidies in the form OF
above prices. But there
is some question whether it can be
stepped up fast enough and on
large enough scale to put Britain
on it's feet.
Various other suggestions have
been under consideration by the
administration, which is quite
sympathetic with Britain's prob
lem for reasons frankly political.
But any fundamental and long
range economic treatment Of our
ailing ally, 1t appears, must be
homeopathic.
While the help Britain wants is
economic, the approach is politi-
cal. That is why Bevin has come
here and why. originally, Secre-
tary Of State Acheson was to head
the United States delegation to
the Washington talks. Following
some congressional criticism OF
this "anglophile" approach, the
Government formally announced
that Secretary of the Treasury
Snyder would be chairman of the
United States delegation. AL
though the British were for
while alarmed at this news, feel
ing that Banker Snyder would
overlook the important political
considerations on which they
pinned their hopes for additional
aid from this country, they found
President Truman's address last
week before the American Legion
deeply reaSsuring.
Britain in the last century be-
came the greatest empire in his
tory. The pillars of that great
structure have been greatly weak
ened by two tremendous wars and
some Of them have fallen. Doubt
less Messrs. Bevin and Cripps feel
that, with the help of American
Drawn, their political know-how
can yet make this safer and
better world. The results of the
Washington talks may not all be-
come known Immediately. Some
persons with an eye on economics
have been rather doubtful that
there will be any worthwhile last
ing results from the meetings. But
in the political realm the talks are
of worldwide significance and
what Mr.. Bevin takes back to
London in his dispatch case will
be of direct interest to all Of us.