Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, February 16, 1958, Image 5

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Medford mail tribune., February 16, 1958, Image 5

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Newspaper Page TextSunday. February 18, 1S5I MEDrORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBtJHE ITVI IyirpeoirD lcimi3iniDC Pinioffko'SDOini Possiassedl Steps to Unity Slow, Uncertain, Observers Say (Editor's note: This is an other in lha teiits of Great . Decisions program discus sions. It was prepared by the Foreign Policy association and distributed throughout Oregon by the general ex tension division of the Ore gon Stale system of higher education. This week's dis cussion is on economic uni fication in Western Europe.) Unification of the econo mies of Western Europe has been high on the agenda of the nations of that area and of the United States govern ment since the end of World War n. 'U.S. Marshall Plan aid, in fact, was offered in 1948 with the understanding that West Europe would build "an expanding economy . . . through economic integra . tion." Steps toward economic unity, however, have been slow and sometimes uncertain, observers say. Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (Benelux countries) have made the most progress. With a stroke of the pen on Feb. 3 these na tions wiped out 97 per cent of all the trade barriers be tween them. Ultimately the Benelux Economic Union will do business with the rest of the world as if it vre a single nation. Another Step Another unification step has recently taken place on a more ambitious scale but at a slower rate. The Benelux countries, in concert with France, West Germany and Italy brought the European Economic Community into be ing oa Jan. 1 of this year. The Community better known as the "Common Mar ket" has so far produced no startling changes in trade practices among these six na tions. Customs barriers and tariffs remain at present I levels for another 12 months. But on Jan. 1, 1959, all tariffs among "the six" will be cut a flat 10 per cent. Each year successive tariff cuts will be made until, 12 to 15 years from now, there will be no tariff barriers among these nations and , "the six," like the Benelux "three," will do business with the rest of the world as an economic unit. Broader Integration A still broader integration step, the proposed Free Trade Zone, has run into serious ob stacles. This plan would as sociate Great Britain,' Scan dinavian countries and per haps other European nations with the Common Market on a privileged basis. Tariffs within the zone would be eliminated gradually but zone countries would keep the right to set their own tariffs with the rest of the world. Keternng to progress on these three unity plans Benelux Union, Common Market, Free Trade Zone observers point out that the more ambitious the plan, the slower the progress. Nor is there complete a g reement among U.S. experts whether current progress on unity is working for or against the United States. An economically unified Western Europe would be a stronger ally, according to long-standing U.S. policy. But to replace European national tariffs with a regional tariff might, in the opinion of some experts,- create a stronger rival instead of partner to U.S. trade interests. Possible Answer One possible answer is for united Europe and the United States to cooperate even more closely in the future on tariff and trade reciprocity. In any event most experts agree that the various Eu ropean unity plans bear close watching. More than 15 per cent of all U.S. exports go to the six Common Market na tions and over 11 per cent of all U.S. imports originate in these same countries. The suc cess or failure of European unity will inevitably affect business and prices in the United States. Great Britain is the staun- ft Main St. JL DAIRY-SMITH at Genessea 'Iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another." Proverbs, the Holy Scripture chest booster for the Free Trade Zone, a looser econom ic arrangement dovetailed into the Common Market. The ex planation, experts say, is simple. Such a zone would permit Britain to enjoy the elimina tion of tariffs on its West Eu ropean trade (14V& per cent of all British export trade) but it would not force Britain to adopt regional tariffs on its trade with other British Com monwealth countries (half of all British export trade). Special Arrangements According to a number of French economists this plan lets Britain eat its cake and have it too. If Great Britain enjoys special trade arrange ments with both West Europe and the world-wide Common wealth, they argue, the Brit ish will be in a better competi tive position than their Eu ropean friends. For example, Great Decisions topics will be discussed. on KBES TV at 5 p.m. Saturday, r'eb. 22. and on radio station KMED. Medford. at 9:05 p.m. Sunday, following. under these terms British in dustry would be a more at tractive investment for vital U. S. capital. Denmark and the Nether lands are also at odds with Britain on the Free Trade Zone. This is largely because of a British-sponsored clause in the proposed treaty that would exempt agricultural imports from the low tariff provision. Britian is anxious to protect its own agriculture by maintaining a tariff wall against foreign farm products. But the Scandinavian coun tries are heavy farm and dairy exporters. The difficulties facing the Free Trade Zone plan, ob servers say, are typical of the economic dilemmas facing all Western nations, including the United States. The pros perity and strength of all Western nations depends . to an important degree on healthy, growing i n t e ma- tional trade. Yet each nation understandably wants to pro tect its own farms and m- dustrites from foreign com petition. Comparable Challenge Meanwhile the American people face a comparable challenge. U. S. reciprocal trade arrangements with the rest of the world are govern ed by the Trade Agreements Act, which expires June 30 unless the present session of Congress renews it, as the Ad ministration has requested. Congress will have to de cide, in other words, whether this country will continue in the direction of more trade cooperation with other na tions. We have urged this' pol icy on Western Europe. Will we follow it ourselves? Economic maneuverings in Western Europe have politi cal overtones, too, experts point out. And some of these political questions are a chal lenge to U.S. policy. Struggling Economy France's struggling econ omy in the fourth year of the Algerian rebellion is a prime example. French . economic recovery following World War II was not so spectacular as West Germany's, the figures show, but it was considerable. By 1954 French production had risen to 138 per cent of pre war levels. Industrial expan sion runs at about 10 per cent a year. But the Algerian rebellion is costing France one billion dollars a year and keeps (ac cording to former Premier Guy Mollet) 700,000 Franch troops in combat. The drafting of coal miners alone is cost ing France an estimated two million tons of coal a year. France's Deficit Another important factor is France's deficit in interna tional trade. In 1957 imports rose 28 per cent while exports increased by only 10 per cent. The deficit (imports over ex ports) reached $820,000,000 in the first six months of 1957. Devaluation of the franc, import restrictions and other unpopular "austerity" meas ures brought some improve ment. During December and January France was able to export more than it import ed. But the year end trade deficit was $1,400,000. France needed outside help and got it from the United States ($274,000,000 three year loan), its West European partners and the UN Inter national Monetary Fund. To tal credits amount to $655, 000,000. Deferment of Payments Part of the U.S. loan is ac tually a deferment of pay ments due this country on earlier loans to France. But it will have the effect of leav ing France with more dollars in its treasury during the rext three years. In addition France will be able to buy U.S. farm surpluses and mili tary equipment for francs in stead of dollars. But Algerian rebels and the Arab world severely crit icized the "United States for helping "finance" the Alger ian war: "The main material support for the French colo nial war in Algeria still comes from the "United States," wrote an Algerian rebel lead er, M'hammed Yazid, in a let ter to The New York Times of Jan. 28. Apparently any U.S. eco nomic partenership with a Eu ropean ally automatically im plies political partnership as well. The American people's dilemma, observers agree, is not easy to resolve. PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN Col. W. H. Prentice, command er of the 417th Engineer Brigade, pins captain's bars on CharleS Hurst during a recent promotion ceremony. Hurst is employed by the bureau of land management. He is as signed as a construction inspector in Army reserve unit. XP IPLDDV RC xciguse", LAR DCMP VCO LAR QUP IPGQ C N COI HOGQCBPIG! BARKER'S MAIN -CENTRAL Election Official Named In Portland Portland OH Multnomah County Commissioners Friday announced the appointment of John D. Weldon, 42, to suc ceed James W. Gleason as county registrar of elections. Weldon has been superintend ent of county election boards. Gleason died Feb. 5 at the age of 68. CHOICE NEAR Richmond, ! Va. RP) Demo cratic Party sources said selec tion of a candidate to run for the Senate seat of retiring Sen. Harry F. Byrd will be made within a few days. The choice was believed narrow ed down to two members of the House, Reps. Watkins Ab bitt and William Tuck, both staunch segregationists. Hotpoint Siiper Deluxe CONDENSER DRYER Features! . 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