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16
The
PLAIN TRUTH
January
1971
Eurocurrency and ultimately a full economic union would
come about by stages. The plan proposes as "indispensable"
the idea of one central reserve bank to eventually replace
the present six, as well as a supranational "decision center"
to control the Market's economic policy.
The Werner Report urges that planning on economic
unification be finished by 1973, with actual fulfillment by
1980.
The date is flexible, however. Much depends upon the
health of the dollar and trends in international trade. Sorne
European experts continually hint of a devaluation of the
dollar. Others warn of the drastic damage that would happen
to the U. S. economy and the dollar should an international
trade war get under way. And in that eventuality, much of
Europe would be fighting as a single unit, with great com–
bined economic leverage.
* *
* *
*
•
New Arab Bloc?
Pan-Arabism - the dream of the late Egyptian Presi–
dent Gama! Abdul Nasser- may yet bear fruit.
Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Syria are working towards a
federation they hope will serve as a nucleus of Arab unity.
"We do not consider Libya and Egypt as two states,"
Ambossod<><
Co/lege
Art
Libyan leader Col. Muammar Kadafi told the Egyptian news–
paper Al Akhbar. "We honestly and truly consider them as
one state and one people. We now deal with each other on
the basis that we are one state, one command and one peopfe
with a single destiny."
If
the federation does materialize, each nation will com–
plement the others economically. Egypt's comparatively
advanced technology may be employed to develop vast and
unused acreage in Sudan, wh ich will in turn help feed over-
populated and under-nourished Egypt. Egypt is already sup–
plying Libya with much needed aid m education,
administration, and technology.
Libya in particular has been eager to join the con6ict
against Israel, but has been hampered by her separation from
the front. Even more of her $1,000,000,000 a year in oil
revenues may now find their way into the struggle.
Syria's decision to join the Federation move carne some–
what as a surprise. It was once allied with Egypt in the ill–
fated United Arab Republic (which name Egypt still
retains). That Federation attempt folded in 1961. However,
new Syrian President Lt. General Hafez Assad who recently
engineered a military coup-d'etat, is much more in line with
Caico thinking.
If
the federation does come about, what will likely
happen?
With the heavy Russian presence in Egypt, the door may
be opened for increased Soviet infiuence in Cairo's new
partners.
Western Europe - which purchases almost two thirds
of its petroleum products from Libya - will be anxiously
watching the move towards federation.
* * * * *
•
The Environment- Disturbing News
"Ecology" is now a household world. Yet despite grow–
ing public awareness of man's environmental crisis, pollution
is growing worse. And strangely, sorne tactics and strategies
being employed to combat pollution are producing undesired
effects.
It has becn discovered that a fixed blanket of tiny dirt
particles - unaffected by rain, wind, or gravity - hangs
over much of Amecica's East Coast. Scientists say the concen–
tration, mostly automobile exhaust, is so dense that it shows
signs of altering major weathec patterns.
"A very violent stocm can have an effect on the (par–
ticles) ," said biophysicist William A. Curby, "But there is a
feedback in that this cloud can effectively alter the course of
storms traveling along the East Coast."
Scientists have also reported that the air over the North
Atlantic Ocean is twice as dirty as it was in the early 1900's.
In Los Angeles, where the battle against air pollution
began 30 years ago, the city's smog season last yeac was the
worst, in frequency of smog alerts, in the last 14 years. The
villain, it is suspected, is a supposed too! in the fight against
smog: the automobile emission control system.
While cutting hydrocarbon and cacbon monoxide emis–
sions from mi ll ions of exhaust pipes, the systems have
increased another pollutant - oxides of nitrogen. On top of
this, recent research indicates exhaust controls may increase
the reactivity of hydrocarbans that still come from
tail
pipes.
It is obvious the solution to pollution is not simply more
and better technology. A fundamental change in human
values is needed. To find out what this entails, write for your
free
copy of the booklet,
Om Po/Juted Planet.