Those of you who have had a chance to talk to businessmen home from Europe have undoubtedly benefited by their first-hand observations of the European scene, and have found that such a viewpoint provides a matter-of-fact, often illuminating postscript to the excellent reports of trained American journalists. A case in point is TIME's advertising director, Harry Phillips, who went to England, France, Belgium, Switzerland and The Netherlands to examine postwar business conditions there and to talk to exporters about advertising in TIME Inc.'s overseas editions. Some excerpts from his strictly personal report of his trip may interest you:

"Advertising prospects in Britain were naturally tied up with Britain's economic plight. Far from being calm about it, English businessmen were trying desperately to think their way out. All hopes seemed based on the development of dynamic leadership and a Plan--both yet to emerge. In the meantime, the wonderful British stand patiently in queues for everything. I sensed a general apathy--even among the opposition to the Labor Government. They were definitely not anxious to take over the job without a program. . . .

"Wherever I went in Europe, I was amazed at the close relationship of Government to business. It was more than Government control of the mechanics of business, although that was ever present; rather it was the natural result of today's international business--a dozen different countries commercially interdependent, compressed into an area the size of the U.S., and all going through their separate agonies of political and economic upheaval. But in spite of the retarding effects of domestic and border controls, the businessmen of Europe are doggedly, and in many cases aggressively, attempting to rebuild their enterprises.

"Over everything is an atmosphere of watchfulness, and a great hopeful ness that America will implement its leadership with wisdom and the much-needed capital goods.

"It is interesting to see the variations on this general theme in the different countries of western Europe. The Dutch are desperately reconstructing and wistfully hoping for some encouragement on the colonial front. The French center most of their attention on their own confused political situation, and rather gloomily look for further internal chaos before the nation settles down to work. The Swiss are practiced observers of the world scene and, perhaps through wishful thinking, are optimistic over the ultimate future of Britain and France. They might be likened to a small marathon runner poised at the starting line while the bigger fellows argue and go through setting-up exercises. Sweden, of course, is having 'Russia trouble,' and wishing it were just a bad dream. . . .

"To all the countries I visited, export is the key to future prosperity, and coal the key to present production problems. That's oversimplified, of course, but in a shortage-ridden Europe almost every shortage, except possibly food, stems back to coal --and even there its effect on the production of farm equipment and foreign exchange is sharply felt.

"The people I talked to showed little confidence or even hope in the United Nations. The immediate problem is survival, and nothing as remote as U.N. is even worth talking about.

"America is the big hope, and I came away with the strongest feeling that as many of us as possible should visit Europe now to see firsthand the size and shape of our opportunity and responsibility.

H. H. S. Phillips Jr."

Cordially,

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