BRITAIN URGED TO GIVE LEAD IN EUROPEAN UNION

Grey River Argus, 3 September 1948, Page 5

BRITAIN URGED TO GIVE LEAD IN EUROPEAN UNION

Dominions Asked To Co-operate (Received September 2, 9.50 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 1. The St. Louis “Post Dispatch” has an editorial on the need’ for a European Federation. It says: “Australia and New Zealand, it ..will be remembered, were years in advance of the Mother Country in favouring measures to restrain Axis agression.” The article declares: “Mr. J. B, Chifley and Mr. P. Fraser would serve a, great cause if, in a similar fashion, they now urged upon Britain the obligation not' to h t old back, but to play her national role towards the unifying of Europe.” The paper expresses its surprise that Mr. C. Attlee, British Prime Minister, has mentioned difficulties of reconciling Britain’s membership of the British Commonwealth of Nations with membership in a European Union. The article said: “Admittedly, this poses some problems, but, like the United States, Australian and New Zealand would like’ to be freed of their . recurrent obligation to raise forces to fight in European wars, which, at least, could be made less likely by a European consolidation.” Plan For United States of Europe LONDON, September 1. Two hundred members of 13 European parliaments to-day began a meeting to plan the United States of Europe, says Reuter’s Interlaken correspondent. They decided, as a first step, to call within six months a constituent assembly. A message read from Mr. Churchill said: “The progress which the movement has already made should inspire us to serve this European and world cause." Points in the plan for a European union of the 16 Marshall-Plan countries and Western Germany, include: 1. Uniform customs duties within three years. 2. Trade between the union’s states should be absolutely free. 3. The union should immediately take over each member state’s gross public debt and make monthly payments to each state for necessary expenditure. A meeting of the Congress steering committee before the Congress of the European Parliamentary Union opened broadened ths draft constitution for the United States of Europe to permit possible accession by Russia. The Congress, which has no official backing., will lay down the basic principles of the European Parliamentary constitution.

European Union Plan is Outlined (Received September 2, 9.10 p.m.) LONDON, September 2. At the Interlaken meeting of delegates, a plan for a European Union is being considered. 'lt suggests that the Union Parliament should comprise a Senate, and a Chamber of Deputies, with power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Union. The Union would have a Federal Council with executive powers, and a Supreme Court, with jurisdiction over matters affecting treaties and the interpretation of the Constitution. The delegates will consider the draft constitution on Friday. The Union’s proposed flag is a. yellow circle and a red cross on a blue background.