From Recovery to Defence
Marshall Aid has taken its place in the roll of means whereby the people of the United States have generously aided the people of Britain in a period of many trials. The roll stretches back to the early days of the war, and it is not closed yet ; for what the suspen- sion of aid to Britain means is that resources which the United States has formerly made available for economic recovery will now be transferred to the more urgent needs of European defence. Recovery is by no means complete, but it is now sufficiently advanced in Britain for the two Governments to agree that the common defence programme must have the first claim on American resources ; which means in turn that the sacrifices the British people are still required to make will for the time being have to be made in the interest of military survival rather than social betterment. Perhaps some day this change may be reversed and peaceful needs come first again, but even so it must be the sincere wish of all responsible citizens that we shall then be able to stand on our own feet without any outside aid whatever. Mr. Gaitskell was right to express satisfaction with the efforts which the British people have applied to their own economic salvation, but it is not time to dwell on that factor when still greater efforts lie ahead. If we pause at all it must be to echo the Chancellor's very sincere expression of gratitude for this tremen- dous act of American generosity.
