and, in part, the iron and steel industry. Much of what
Germany could produce in her own mills and factories
will again be imported into Germany from other countries,
and it is intended above all to secure an increase of
imports from America}. The economic dependence of the
western part of Germany on foreign capilal will grow slill
greater, although not a few German plants have already
be€n bought for a song by foreign monopolists. It will not
be difficult to deal with an economically weakened Western
Germany a>t the discretion of the American creditors, es-
pecially in the absence of a central German government.
This plan to a great extent reflects the desire to con-
vert the western part of Germany into a base for extending
the influence of American imperialism in Europe. The
American plan embraces a number of European states,
whose rehabilitation is made dependent on definite econom-
ic and ipolitical terms dictated to them too by the U.S.A.
Undivided sway of American imperialism in the western
part of Germany is designed to .facilitate the strengthening
of its influence in other European countries as well. And
the development in Bizonia of such industries as iron and
steel and coal mining creates the prerequisites for exploit-
ing Western Germany as a strategical base for the reckless
and aggressive plans of American) imperialism.
It should also be said that the American plan by no
means envisages the fulfilment by Germany of her repara-
tion obligations towards the states which suffered German
aggression and occupation. It does not reckon with their
interests, and disregards the decision of the Potsdam con-
ference on this subject. Allegations that the settlement of
the problem of reparations for the U.S.S.R. is hindered by
the absence of information from the Soviet zone are, of
course, utterly unfounded. The Soviet 'Union has always ex-
pressed and still expresses its readiness to present full
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