Trade Talk

Common folk in Buenos Aires could hardly believe their ears: Juan Domingo Peron had told a congressional caucus that Argentina would fight beside the U.S. if there was another war. Furthermore, he was saying that U.S. Ambassador George S. Messersmith was a pretty fine fellow. Que Diablo! Had the Strong Man fallen in love with the Vanquish Well, hardly. A British trade mission or two was in town (TIME, July 8) and Peron was playing hard to get.

The British had met one setback after another. The Argentines refused to trade their immense ($750 million) blocked sterling credit in Britain for the British-owned Argentine railroads, wanted to use part of it for British goods. Peron himself had demanded a 300% price hike on beef sold to Britain.

Britons could take comfort in one reality: Argentina's best customer would continue to be Britain, and Argentines knew it. Buyer and seller must somehow find a way to get together.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.