17 OCTOBER 1947, Page 4

Here is the kind of snag which gets in the

way of the Marshall Plan. An American Congressman asked this week in a perfectly friendly way, "You're suffering from a shortage of railway trucks, aren't you ? " "Yes." "Trucks aren't unloaded at week-ends in this country, are they ? " "No." "If you did unload at week-ends it would mean the equivalent of something like 5o,000 extra trucks. We unload at week-ends in America." He implied, but did not add, "Well, hell, if you won't help yourselves why should we help you?"