LOAN FOR POLAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 April 1946, Page 8

LOAN FOR POLAND

AMERICA RECEIVES PLEDGE OF FREE ELECTIONS

WASHINGTON, April 24

ij After receiving an assurance that qthe pledges given at Yalta and 'Potsdam of free and unfettered elections would be honoured, the State ! Department Export-Import Bank announced that 90,000,000 dollars credit has been granted to Poland.

The credit will be used for reconstruction. Of it, 40,000,000 dollars will be spent in the United States on locomotives, coal, and cars, and 50,000,000 dollars on American surIplus property, at present held abroad.

Government officials have disclosed that Russia will be asked to

make major revision of secret economic agreements with Eastern European nations if she is to receive the requested loan of 1,000,000,000 dollars from the United States.

Officials w-e preparing for the possible arrival of a. Soviet financial mission about May 15. Russia’s acceptance of the American invitation to negotiate is not certain, because’the United States has notified Russia that general economic conditions in' East Europe should be included in the loan talks, and Russia mav object.

BRITAIN’S DIRECT INQUIRY IN WARSAW (Rec. 11.5 a.m.) LONDON, April 25. The British Government, through its Ambassador, Mr. Cavendish-Ben-tinck, at Warsaw, has asked the Polish Government whether it intends holding elections based on the universal suffrage and a secret ballot under the Yalta and Potsdam undertakings. Reporting this the Press Association adds that the British Government consulted the United States Government before approaching Poland.