ECONOMIC UNION PROPOSED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 32, 17 November 1948, Page 5

ECONOMIC UNION PROPOSED

U.S., Commonwealth and Ireland EIREANN MINISTER’S PLAN TO END WARS 'N.Z.P.A. -Copyright) WASHINGTON, Nov. 15. Eire’s Minister of Agriculture (Mr James Dillon) to-day proposed an economic union of the United States* Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. He said that such a plan would end wars and ensure world peace and prosperity.

Mr Dillon, who is attending the fourth annual conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, said that the plan could be put into effect in. 48 hours. “Let the American Congress and the British Parliament declare that for 10 or 20 years there shall be free passage for men, money, and goods throughout the United States ancl Britain and her Colonial Empire for all citizens of both nations who care to ask for admission,” he said. “In this economic plan all parties would be bound to maintain the arrangement for tiie full 10 or 20-year period agreed upon.” Among other things, Mr Dillon said, such a plan would end austerity in Britain, secure a vast foreign market for the United States, and ensure America against a depression within tli© next 100 years. Emphasising the importance of Britain to the United States, Mr Dillon said that Britain was the only invulnerable base for the United States to marshall her resources against force in Europe, arid so long as the United States had such a base Russia would not resort to force and there would not be war.

“The alternative to guaranteeing Britain against collapse may well be World War 3. If you don’t have an economic union in two years between the United States and the British Empire democracy will bust wide open. It is essential for the survival of the world.”

Mr Dillon also suggested a joint dollar-sterling currency backed by the gold and other assets of all the parties concerned.