SIR STAFFORD CRIPPS EMPHASISES BRITAIN’S JOINT RESPONSIBILITY

Wanganui Chronicle, 3 November 1949, Page 5

SIR STAFFORD CRIPPS EMPHASISES BRITAIN’S JOINT RESPONSIBILITY

PARIS, Nov. I.—The British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Stafford Cripps, addressing Ministers of the 18 Marshall Plan nations tonight, emphasised Britain’s joint responsibilities to the Commonwealth and to the development of European unity. Sir Stafford said: “We have made it clear from the beginning that our task was to try to combine our responsibilities and interests, as the leading member of the Commonwealth and of the sterling area, with support for the development of unity in Europe. This is not an easy task, for I must make it clear that our relationship with the Commonwealth and sterling area is not a limited one, but spreads into North America through our association with Canada, and into Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, in which continents foreign trade is predominantly carried through in sterling.” Sir Stafford said that the approach of the end of Marshall aid must emphasise for all those concerned the urgency of the practical suggestions put forward by Mr. Hoffman. A great advance had already been made in the liberalisation of intra-European trade. He added: “Had we not become accustomed to a large degree of cooperative action through the organisation of European Economic Cooperation, this would have been hailed as one of the most outstanding international economic events since the

end of the war.” Referring to Mr. Moffman’s recommendation of close economic arrangements in one or more smaller groups, Sir Stafford said that one of them underestimated the difficulty of taking the steps of integration suggested. Britain's situation in the loosely knit but well integrated group referred to as the sterling area had shown both the difficulties and advantages in such a system. Efforts to maintain this wide area of multilateral trade had been made not only because of its value to Britain, but also because of its value to the world. “The brave experiment of closer Integration in the Benelux countries and the project of the Customs union between France and Italy have also shown us that it is not a simple matter to work our practical plans to this end,” he continued. “We as the centre of the largest multilateral trading area of the world, for which we act as broker, recognise the benefits that flow from multilateral exchanges of the kind that Mr. Hoffman has in view.”

Sir Stafford said that Britain's multilateral trade with convertible future depended on the restoration of currency, consequently Britain could not integrate her economy into that of Europe in any way that would prejudice the full discharge of her responsibility. At the same time Britain was bound up with Western Europe, and her policy rested on the plan for European recovery.

The French Foreign Minister. M. Schuman, told the O.E.E.C. council that France adhered completely to the principles and objectives put forward by Mr. Hoffman. The Associated Press says that Sir Stafford Cripps is seeking to lower Irade barriers by clipping away at the system of import quotas. Under agreements -by which the European countries buy and sell goods, each nation limits the amount in every class of goods it is willing to import. Sir Stafford wants to end this system for 50 per cent, of private trade by December 15, and another 25 per cent, as soon afterwards as possible.