SIX NATIONS MEET

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 210, 21 June 1950, Page 5

SIX NATIONS MEET

MERGER PLAN

POOLING EUROPE’S RESOURCES vN.Z.P A.—Copyright). (Rec. 10.15 a.m.) PARIS, June 20. Six nations began work to-day on machinery for one of the most sweeping economic agreements in history—the nooling of Western Europe’s coal and steel production. The French Foreign Minister, M. Schuman, who opengd the conference ■on his merger plan, told delegates that they would have “keenly desired” that Britain be present, and hoped even now that British doubts and scruples would give way in the end. “We cannot conceive Europe without her,” said M< Schumap. “We know that the British 5 Government desires the success of our labours, and this reassures us. Certain differences of view which prevented her from participating actively, at least, at this stage appeared in the course of the exchange of views, which was as frank as it was friendly. We preserve the hope that, doubts and scruples which a reasoning that tended to be doctrinal could not overcome will in the end be giving way before more concrete demonstrations. Britain, though not taking part m the project, is to be kept informed on •fcfi ft tstlks. Delegates from France, Western Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland .and Luxembourg heard M. Schuman launch what has been called the greatest industrial experiment in European history. , M. Schuman said the essential thing about the plan was the substitution of an enlightened co-operation for the old practices of dumping and discriminating.. - , Haste Defended M. Schuman defended the policy of haste on his plan. He said: “The six weeks that have passed since the French Government made known its plan is rather a brief period for such a new and vast topic as the pooling of the coal and steel production of our six countries. France has been ieproached for this rush—it was describ- : ed as a fast and brutal tactic —but it is exactly the experience which showed us that the best initiatives are being blunted when before birth they are held up in preliminary consultations. In a world anguished by so many failures and weaknesses, I believe we had the right, even the duty, to count on the strength of one idea, and to profit from the impulse born from the hope aroused by it. We are agreed among ourselves on the direction to which our labours are to be turned, and on the target we wish to attain. Our Governments have agreed to search for the beet way of applying the principles we have accepted by the creation of new institutions without precedent in the world to-day.” M. Schuman said: “Our conclusions will be submitted to the appreciation of our Governments and to the sovereign decision of our Parliaments.None of us is unaware of the exceptional difficulties of what we are undertaking. A system like the one we are envisaging lias never been experienced. In fact .the States have rjever even envisaged delegating in common a fraction of their sovereignty to an independent supranational organism. We will have to establish a draft treaty which will define the broad lines of attribution of this common authority, its functions, the methods of appealing against its decisions, and of setting in motion its responsibilities. We shall have to envisage, without inscribing them in the treaty, technical details which will be inscribed in the convention .to be concluded later once the treaty has been ratified. These conventions must be easy to revise so that they can be adapted to the lessons of experience.” Rational Economic Structure “Without losing sight of the individual requirements of our countries we must be conscious of the fact that to-day the national interest consists precisely in finding beyond national limits the means of realising a more rational economic structure, more economical and intensive production, a larger and more accessible market.' Our initiative in no way intends to ignore or overlook attempts being made elsewhere to render a healthier European .economy,” said M. Schuman. “The essential thing is that we want to substitute an enlightened co-operation for old practices of dumping and discrimination. But what is at least as important is the certainty of eliminating from our European community a latent cause of trouble, mistrust and anguish, and hope of erecting on this peace-making co-operation a, solid European edifice accessible to all European nations or good will.” ' . After expressing the .hope that Britain would later participate in the plan, M. Schuman appealed for team work instead of a conference with meticulous and rigid rules.’ M. Schuman said the working procedure of the conference will be discussed at to-morrow’s meeting. Reuter’s correspondent says that sources close to the French Foreign Ministry say that a still higher authority to which the supra-national au thority will be answerable will be referred to in the French draft treaty. The draft treaty will form a wording basis of the Schuman plan and will be passed to the Geiman, ’ Italian and. Benelux delegations in a Conservative and Liberal leaders in the House of Commons to-night urged the British Government to take part in the current discussions in Pans on th f“ Sh ,v,ll be the basis for a debate on the Schuman plan in the House of Commons next Mondaj , was tabled by the Conservative leader Mr Churchill, the Liberal leader, Mr Clement Davies, and the National Liberal leader, Mr John Maclay. The motion requests the Goveinment “in the interests of peace and full employment to accept the invi ation to take part in the discussions on the Schuman plan subject to the same conditions as that made by the Netherlands Government, namely, that if the discussions show the plan to be practicable, freedom of action is reserved. The Parliamentary Labour Party tonight decided that their meeting to-

morrow will discuss the Schuman proposals instead of colonial problems, as arranged.