TINNED MEAT FOR BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25289, 15 September 1947, Page 7

TINNED MEAT FOR BRITAIN

ARGENTINA SUSPENDS SHIPMENTS LONDON, September 12. The Argentine Government’s suspension of Shipments of tinned meat to Britain is purely temporary and for no other purpose than to prod the British Government into a speedy settlement of the problems caused by suspending the convertibility of sterling, according to the Buenos Aires correspondents of Reuters and the Associated Press. Argentina, it is stated, wants to know where she stands about future trade between the two countries. The suspension affects about 5000 tons of meat a month, or approximately 10 per cent, of the amount normally shipped. The Buenos Aires correspondent of the "Daily Mail” says that the man who is doing the “prodding” is Mr Miguel Miranda, president of the Argentine Central Bank. He is stated to have determined, in his own words, “to bring Britain to heel” by withholding all food exports to her until she agrees to pay in convertible currency. Mr Miranda threatens that Argentina will not have any further dealings with Britain untilßhis matter is settled, and says the possibility of British reprisals does not worry him, as he can sell Argentine meat elsewhere at double the price. “Britain must eat. and she' will come to heel quickly enough when she finds supplies stopped, as she did not so long ago when they were cut off for six weeks,” said Mr Miranda.

The “Daily Mail,” in a leading article, admits that Mr Miranda has a case, and says: “It is galling to sell goods for a cheque that cannot be cashed, yet the world shortage of dollars is no fault of Britain’s.”