Show Labor an and Tory or Election ec Ion Talk Centers anAid on an Aid to Britain By nr Morley Cassidy LONDON Sometimes you would think Uncle Sam oa was running for a n. member of parliament parliament parliament par par- in these British elec elec- Day DElY by day two words word American aid creep into more mor speeches are flung lung back at speakers by hecklers from audiences are used to puncture labor speakers' speakers boasts of full employment improving improving- finances finance low living costs and luxuriant social services Labor party speakers didn't plan it this way The party manifesto what manifesto what we would call the party platform platform achieved achieved n 1 miracle by painting a n glowing picture of Britain's past five years and still better betler days to come in words without a single word acknowledging the part which Marshall plan aid aid and postwar American loans had played in these accomplish accomplish- ments Grim Grini Reminder But as the brief campaign swings wings into full pace with 1600 candidates speaking from soapboxes soapboxes soapboxes soap soap- boxes stepladders back seats of cars or fancily draped platforms platforms platforms plat plat- forms in schools and American aid is rising like Banquo's Banquo's Banquo's Ban- Ban quos quo's ghost as a grim reminder that Britain mutt must vote with an eye on 1952 the 1952 the date when the Marshall plan will cease to give help in closing the dollar gap when raw materials for or factories and food for homes must be paid f r with dollars earned by British British British Brit Brit- ish exports But American aid it seems like most other issues is a matter matter matter mat mat- ter that politicians can twist to suit their own purposes How this works has seldom been more evident than in m the way both Tor Tory and Labor candidates and editorial writers have been dealing with the subject in the past few days Thus Anthony Eden speaking at Leamington bitterly declared that Socialist leaders were showing showing show show- ing inS morbid reluctance to face real issues in this general elect elec elec- t tion on Gratitude Due Gratitude is due the United States ne said for generous help that she has given to so many lands since the war We Ve should do well to remember that this American effort has entailed entailed en en- tailed increased taxation of the American people It is beside the point to argue whether we ha have hae e deserved deserved deserved de de- de- de served Marshall aid or whether we have not The stern fact is IStha that tha t Marshall aid is coming toan toan to toan an end in 1952 and that it is Marshall aid which has made our full employment possible and enabled us to obtain the food and raw materials for our people If we wc are to bridge the dollar dollar dollar dol dol- dol- dol lar gap we must increase exports exports exports ex ex- ports especially to dollar areas To do this will require stupendous stupendous stupendous dous vigor and enterprise from our industries The best way our government can help is to lighten light light- en the burden of costs which in industry industry industry in- in has to bear in the shape of taxation Yet there is not the least sign that they have in mind to do anything of the kind On the contrary Sir Stafford Cripps seems completely complacent complacent complacent com com- about the unparalleled burden of government go spend spend- ing Turned Around This see seems m s devastating enough but at a meeting in Paddington Douglas Jay economic economic economic eco eco- secretary turned the argument completely around He admitted that the problem problem problem lem of the dollar gap will be with us a long time Nevertheless Nevertheless Nevertheless Never Never- he said results of de devaluation devaluation devaluation de- de valuation have exceeded government government government govern govern- ment expectations and the basic basic basic ba ba- ba- ba sic dollar position tion has been greatly strengthened since Sep Sep- He reported that Britain's purchases purchases purchases pur pur- chases for dollars this year should be something like 40 per percent percent percent cent less in volume than in 1947 and that this is a formidable achievement which goes to the root of the dollar problem and we therefore are less dependent depend depend- ent on dollar aid than two years ago 52 Outlook If we continue the present policy of scrupulously planning the use of our dollar and other resources he continued and if the United States business bustness continues at a high level there is no reason why we should not be independent of extraordinary dollar aid by 1952 On the other hand if the reckless Tory policy of dismantling dismantling disman disman- controls and abandoning abandoning- priorities is follo followed follo ed we shall find ourselves dependent in indefinitely indefinitely indefinitely in- in definitely on charity from the United States Slates At a meeting in Oxford Town Townhall Townhall Townhall hall toy Roy Harrod i liberal and Oxford Oxford Oxford Ox Ox- ford lecturer in m economics declared declared declared de de- this country is depending depending depending depend depend- ing on American charity That charity cannot go on forever But Quintan Hogg Conservative Conserva Conserva- tive who is noted for taking his own individual slant on things replied Marshall aid is not charity We Ve have given America more than than they have given us I We Vc arc are a great and proud people peo peo- pie but we wc are not going onI on I like lile parasites We Ve must be bc in independent independent in- in dependent by 1952 j Released Through George Matthew Matthew Matthew Mat Mat- thew Adams Service Inc |