DEFENCE IN FAR EAST

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23477, 4 November 1941, Page 7

DEFENCE IN FAR EAST

SUPPLY PLAN SAID TO BE COMPLETE PURPOSE TO FORESTALL AGGRESSORS (Received November 3, 10 p.m.) (U.P.A.) WASHINGTON, Nov. 2. The United Press of- America says that America, Britain. China, and the Netherlands are reported to have completed arrangements for co-ordination of the flow of vital raw materials in the Far East for mutual defence purposes. It is emphasised that the arrangements are purely defensive, to prevent aggressors, primarily Japan, from.acquiring large stocks of raw material and later using them (1) to conquer the original sources of these products, and (2) to cut off other nations from them. The new arrangement is reported to embrace the Netherlands East Indies, British Malaya, the Philippines, and China. The plan calls for the direction of raw materials and supplies to the producers who can process them into defence tools most expeditiously, and to the areas where they can be most effectively used in combating aggressors.

AUSTRALIA NOT WEAK “Will Not Be Kicked Around ” ACHIEVEMENT IN WARTIME PRODUCTION (Received November 3, 7 p.m.) NEW YORK, November 2. Mr Alfred Kelly, addressing the conference of the International Labour Office to-day, said that Australia was vitally concerned with the maintenance of peace in the' Pacific, but did not propose to be kicked around by international bullies, nor would she permit her friends to be kicked around. “We are small, but not weak," he said. “The nation is not seeking protection with nothing." The need for war-time industrialisation had brought a vast revolution, with the manufacturing of aircraft, armaments, and ammunition, as well as naval and merchant ships. This great achievement had not been produced by a single section, but jointly, by all classes. “Such achievements are not accomplished without the cost of sacrifice and self-denial. It is the purchase price of freedom,” Mr Kelly said. “When we have bought our freedom again, we want to be able to use it intelligently, not only for ourselves, but for the whole world. Unless we begin now to .plot our course, the most formidable difficulties will overwhelm us. “The International Labour Office has issued an inspiring and effective call to a weary world, to look forward and upward, not to an idealistic new world nor to a grotesque new order, but to something which all mankind can achieve through blood, sweat, and tears —goodwill.” Collaboration In Industry The prevailing sentiment of active tripartite collaboration in industrial matters among the government, employers, and employees, was opposed by American and British delegates. _ Mr Robert Watt, the American Federation of Labour’s delegate, said it should be at least possible to measure government interference in employeremployee relations as the-means most likely to promote true collaboration in industry. While hot excluding government regulation entirely,, both American and British delegates countenanced its injection into labour disputes and into the field of labour relations only where special conditions required it. . , The foregoing views were supported by Mr Harold Stewart Kirkaldy, secretary of the Iron and Steel Trades Association, and Sir Frederick Leggett, industrial commissioner of the Ministry of Labour and National Service. American and British delegates also united in urging that the conference refrain, at this time, from putting forward elaborate programmes for social and economic reconstruction, and concentrate more on the task of defeatgenerally declared that only a complete Allied victory would make it possible for the International Labour Office to achieve its goal of world-wide social justice and security. EUROPEAN UNION PLANNED delegates of exiled GOVERNMENTS (Received November 3, 11 P-m-) ’ NEW YORK, November 3. The “New York Times" ■ states that the formation of a post-war European economic unit embracing Poland. Czechoslovakia. Jugoslavia, and Greece will be announced by the delegates of those countries to the International Labour Office conference. The plan also provides for the adherence of Bulgaria, Rumania, and Hungary being based on expectation of an Axis de The’“New York Times" understands that the exiled Governments intend'to announce their approval of the plan, which is regarded as the an international union of 100,000,000 people, forming a buffer against Germany and also facilitating economic rehabilitation.

AMERICAN RED CROSS SHIP FOR FRANCE REPORTED PERMISSION BY BRITAIN (Received November 3, 11.30 p.xn.) NEW YORK, November 3. The Washington correspondent of the New York "Herald-Tribune” learns authoritatively that Britain has given permission for an American Red Cross ship to take 1,000,000 dollars’ worth of food and medical supplies to France probably sailing on November 20, and arriving at Marseilles before Christmas. It is understood that negotiations proceeded for some time before Britain agreed to lift the blockade on condition that the Vichy Government gave publicity to the shipment, so as to counter the rumour that the democracies are starving France.

U.S. SENATOR CALLS FOR JEWISH ARMY

NEW YORK, November 2. The Democrat leader in the United States Senate, Senator A. W. Barkley, speaking at a meeting on the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, called for a Jewish army to fight with the British in the Middle East.

He said that already 1000 Jews were fighting Hitler, but thousands oi others were anxious to fight as a Jewish army under their own flag in the same manner as the Free French, Czechs, Poles, and others.