Erhard Predicts U.K. Will Join “Six”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29502, 2 May 1961, Page 13

Erhard Predicts U.K. Will Join “Six”

(.N.Z Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, May 1. The West German Economics Minister (Dr. Erhard) had predicted that Britain and Denmark would soon join the European Common Market, the “Daily Express” reported today. Speaking at a meeting of the German Association of Wholesalers, he said the way for a bridge between the Common Market and the British-led “Outer Seven” group “is now clear.” “It is confidently to be expected Britain and Denmark will inin.” he said.

In London last night, the Commonwealth Relations Under-secretary, Mr Bernard Braine, said a compromise solution over Britain’s position with the Common Market was not impossible but “clearly we cannot allow matters to drift much longer.” He told the Conservative Commonwealth Council conference that the result for Britain might be disastrous if Britain stayed out of the market. This "dynamic group,” he said, might pro-

vide stronger competition in Britain’s traditional markets He said that if Britain was squeezed out of the world’s fastest growing market on its own doorstep and was challenged successfully in her traditional markets, her capacity to expand trade and provide resources for Commonwealth needs would be seriously reduced. This might lead to a greater decline in Commonwealth trade. “It would be ironic indeed if our concern for Commonwealth solidarity prevented us from resolving one dilemma in Europe and that as a consequence we became so weakened that we would be unable to hold the Commonwealth together.”

The “Daily Mail” today reported that the British Cabinet—in spite of denials —had decided in principle to join the Common Market. The only question still to be settled was: how did Britain take the plunge without letting either the Commonwealth or home agriculture suffer? The Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) was now working on a major speech which would set out his answer, the newspaper said. The “Daily Telegraph" today urged the British Government to clarify its position in relation to the European Common Market. “It is time that, through Parliament, our nation and all the nations of Europe were told where we stand,” the newspaper said.

“It is apparent that Mr Macmillan was urged by President Kennedy, in un-

mistakable terms, to become in fact what he himself has always claimed to be: a good European. “But there was and remains the possibility that Mr Macmillan’s belated application for membership of the Six club might now run into de Gaulle’s black ball. Many believe that our recent hesitations arise from fears of some such humiliating rebuff. “Many also believe that we are now only waiting for President Kennedy to induce de Gaulle, in return for some quid pro quo, to drop his objections and welcome us in,” the “Daily Telegraph” said. The “Financial Times” said that an agreement between Britain and the European Common Market might bring some structural changes in British agriculture. “But it is some horticulturists rathen than the great majority of farmers who might be hurt. This week, French atid British experts will discuss the agricultural question here in London. “And it may well be that the interests of some Commonwealth producers—New Zealand’s dairy farmers, for example—will turn out to be more difficult to protect than those of British agriculture.”