MATERIALS OF WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27499, 20 September 1950, Page 7

MATERIALS OF WAR

No Exports To Russia And Her Satellites BRITAIN TO REVIEW ORDERS New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 8 p.m. ' LONDON, Sept. 19. The Government and the Opposition reached an agreement in the House of Commons last night on the export of war material to Russia and her satellites. Without dividing, the House carried a Government amendment to an Opposition motion which urged the suspension of such exports to “ possible aggressors.” The amendment expressed approval of the Government’s policy in stopping exports likely to be required for the defence programmes of Britain or the Commonwealth, or her Atlantic Treaty partners, while at the same time maintaining , trade between the United Kingdom and Eastern Furope. The President of the Board of Trade, Mr Harold Wilson, announced that all outstanding orders for Western Europe would be reviewed and that Britain or her Allies would keep those items they needed. During the period of review none of the goods would be exported and abnormal shipments of raw materials, such as rubber and wool, would also be stopped.

Mr Wilson said he could not promise that after examination the Government would necessarily stop such exports. The Government was watching for abnormal orders, of strategic materials, particularly those which might be reshipped to Koro-’ .. , After recent abnormal orders for copper wire, all copper nau uetn pm under control, Mr Wilson said. A vertical borer on order for Eastern Europe would be kept in Britain. A second of these machines, which can be used for machining the circumference of guns, will be offered to Britain’s allies when it is ready in about 18 months’ time. Mr Wilson said that only a complete blockade could stop all materials of military use from going behind the iron curtain. To control the export of wool, rubber, and otherstrategic raw materials —not in the main exported from Britain —would almost certainly mean abolishing the free market in those commodities. Mr Wilson also announced that because of changed circumstances the 1949 Anglo-Polish trade agreement would be reviewed. The Government was obtaining information from about 30 companies on orders from Eastern Europe, particularly Russia and Polland, Mr Wilson said. This meant that the review of machine tool orders would take a long time.