World Economic Reconstruction Primary Objective

Northern Advocate, 21 August 1945, Page 3

World Economic Reconstruction Primary Objective

(Rec. 1.0 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 20,

The British Government regarded world economic reconstruction as foreign policy's primary objective, said the Foreign Secretary (Mr. Ernest Bevin), in a foreign affairs debate in the House of Commons.

He said: “The war ended only just in time. We were on the eve of a great world food crisis. We cannot slop the decline this winter, but there are hopes that the 1946 harvest will check the decline. Next year will be vital. It is hard to call on Britons, after six years of war, for more, but peace with understanding and with Britain playing her proper role as leader in the social and economic field, was a prize worth winning by them. “In a world stunned, and only just beginning to awaken from the stupefying effects of war. the great thing is attention to economic reconstruction and to work hard to get people resettled and earning their own living.” To Be Worthy of Sacrifice. Mr Bevin said in conducting this policy he always would he actuated by the desire that it would be worthy of Britain’s immense sacrifices during the war.

Manpower losses, happily, were less than in the last war, but the methods adopted to win the war left Britain extremely poor and reconstruction would be a heavy, heavy task. The enormous resources of the United States had been thrown into the titanic struggle and long years of fighting had disorganised China but the worst situation was possibly in the liberated countries. One of the great difficulties there was that people had been taught to disobey the occupation forces, resulting in lawlessness which was now difficult to eradicate.

Tasks of Resettlement

There would have to be tolerance, patience and determination in the resettlement of vast populations of displaced persons, numbering millions, which would tax the control commission’s genius and ability. A report he had received from Field-Marshal Montgomery on August 8 .stated that nearly 1,100,000 had been evacuated from the British zone. The report stated 1 that 300,000 ivent westwards, more than 600,000 Russians had been transported eastwards, and 200,000 Italians had begun to move southwards. There were still 1,250,000 displaced persons housed in camps in the British zone and perhaps another 500,000 still at large. It was hoped by the autumn that only 645,000 would be left, of which 500,00 were Poles. “There is much in the period ahead which we do not like. “The one thing at which we must aim resolutely, even at the beginning, is to prevent the substitution of one form of totalitarianism , for another,” Mr Bevin said. Self-Reliance.

“We cannot allow the idea to develop that liberated countries can lie down and rely on the Allied countries for continuous support. There is limitation to what UNRRA can do, both in amount and time. Coal is a basic need. Miners are international in outlook. The Labour Government proposes to give British miners what they had asked for for years. “I have asked them to help me, not for profit or for capitalists, but for peace and to bring succour, health and warmth to millions of their colleagues at home and abroad.”

Decide For Peace

The Government accepted the Potsdam decisions as the basis on which the Foreign Ministers’ Council and general work must proceed. When the Foreign Ministers met they must not be obsessed merely by the desire to punish, or revenge, but in everything they did, they must ask themselves whether the decision was made for peace or for war. He believed that, if they could only eliminate the war-mind from Germany. there would be a chance for unity where no conflict need exist. The Government adhered to the policy in Greece, which it publicly supported when Greece was liberated. He saw no good purpose in assisting in the creation of a new Government before an election. Greece would never recover while her leaders spent their time continuously in trying to change the Government. They had better take an example from us. (Laughter).

Dominions and Greece The Government urged that an election be held as soon as possible, to assist in restoring confidence. He proposed asking the Dominions to appoint representatives to form part of the British contingent supervising the election. Britain would welcome an amnesty at the earliest possible moment. He realised this was a .difficult problem, because not only violent criminals but collaborators were involved.

Referring again to the Dominions’ representation at the elections, he said it would be remembered that New Zealanders and Australians, in particular, fought in Greece, and were well respected there. Reports received from British troops in the area did not substantiate Yugoslav charges about the treatment of Slav-speaking Greeks in Northern Greece.

Impressions gained from recent developments were that in the Balkans one kind of totalitarianism was being replaced by another. That was not what Britain understood by the muchoverworked word “democracy," which needed definition.

“The electoral law in Bulgaria under which the election is being held is not, in our view, consistent with the principles of liberty,” he said. “We shall not, therefore, be able to regard as representative any government resulting from such elections.”

The Italian Treaty,

The question of making a peace | treaty with Italy will come before the 1 Foreign Minister's Council in London in September. The Government desired that a treaty should be, made on fair terms, and did not think it wise to pursue a policy of revenge. It intended to proceed on the assumption that Italy would be re-established on a basis of free elections and parliamentary government. Belgium had made great headway and her output appeared to be improving. The Netherlanders were working with a will to make good the war’s ravages. Norway’s task of reconstruc- | tion had begun.