Evening star., 1951-06-10

actual problem in Italy, Germany,
France and Belgium.
Western Europe also is nor
maIly a regular supplier of all
sorts of iron and steel products
for the East. If it wants coal or
timber from Poland, the West
can hardly demur at supplying
mining and timber machinery.
transportation equipment, elec-
trlcal machinery and the like.
Not Simple Problem
In other words, Europe cannot
see the cutting off of trade, as the
KEN amendment if literally ap-
piled would require. as a simple
problem. 1t cannot view this ques-
ton as it may appear to the man
in the street in Omaha or Chey-
enne. In President Truman's
words. the traditional trade pat
tern of European countries de-
pendent upon the Soviet bloc for
imports contributing substantially
to their food supply and defense
efforts makes 1t much harder for
them than for us to cut of trade
with the East.
The United States, Mr.. Truman
indicates, has had more success
than appears on the surface in
Ipersuading other free nations to
restrict really strategic exports to
the Communist lands.
1t is possible to exaggerate the
significane of East-West trade as
a contributor to Soviet might. In
1949. IA ECA countries imported
from the East bloc about $1.3
billions of goods. But of this total
the U. S. S. R. supplied only $l45
million. Russia is, in fact, a negli-
gible factor in world trade; less
important than little Belgium.
West Germany's trade with the
East also is misunderstood. Not
long ago the occupation authorities
were anxious to stimulate German
trade. Much of the goods which
the Ruhr has been sending East
has been in fulhllment of con-
tracts made then and which are
now running out. Today Germany
can sell it's products without diff
ficulty in the free world. or
course. smuggling into the East
zone IS relatively easy, with barge
and rail traffic and thousands Of
] individuals crossing the imaginary
/ line daily. In Berlin, policing is
especially hard. But the Bonn
government has promised to en-
force Allied policy. In this promise
it is being prodded by the German
Socialists, who dislike the Ruhr
industrialists. Today Germany's
East-West trade is much smaller
than before Korea.
Occupied Japan also has been
allowed, in fact encouraged by us.
to trade with Red China. Japan
needs Chinese coal and coke for
Its steel industry: also iron ore.
These would otherwise have to be
got from the West. So, to get
them from China, Japan is al
lowed to export iron and steel
products to the mainland.
Could Burden Us
Were the U. S. A. to try to
supply the commodities which the
free nations of Europe, and Japan.
get from the Soviet area, it would
mean not only great burden on
our own industries producing
those commodities, but possibly
also additional gifts to such
countries.
We get useful materials from
China, some of them smuggled
out: Tungsten, hog bristles, silk
waste and duck feathers. The
latter are a very useful military
item, not for pillow fights, but
as insulators of Arctic clothing.
Much lighter than other available
insulators, they enable the soldier
to carry larger amount of other
equipment.
Apart from the political or psy-
Geological aspects of a naval block
ade, present trade controls on
China are believed to be about 90
per cent effective. Whether they
will remain so depends upon coun-
tries over which we have no con-
troll. With Singapore rubber shut
off. the Communists may try to fill
their needs in Ceylon and Indo-
neSia. In the war going on in
Korea and in the cold war be-
tween the U. S. and U. S. S. R..
the Southeast Asians are neutral,
And, as in Sweden and Switzer-
land, business is business.
These neutral European coun-
tries. however, have a political
interest on our side of the quar-
rel, and it is hoped that some
thing more may be done to tighten
up controls on machinery and
chemicals.
Other Europeans like the Brit
ish may be expected to be less
liberal when renewing expiring
trade contracts with Soviet bloc
lands. They are under con-
slant pressure from Washing
ton to tighten up as much as
possible. In 1949 the ECA coun-
tries got only about per cent Of
their imports from what is now
Soviet-controlled Europe. 1t is
hoped to reduce that percentage.
But, so long as Western Europe
needs the coal and newsprint and
timber of the eastern part of the
continent, the trade cannot be
completely eliminated.
| While there are still a number
Of trade situations with which the
administration is not satisfied, ac-
cording to the President, there
are few articles left of any real
strategic Importance that are
moving to the Soviet bloc in any
significance quantity
Tho iToictrotioYo fealS tbat