FINAL DEFEAT OF AXIS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23985, 28 June 1943, Page 5

FINAL DEFEAT OF AXIS

STALIN REPLIES TO MESSAGES “JOINT BLOWS FROM EAST AND WEST” (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON. June 27. Mr Stalin, in his repJV to Mr Roosevelt, General General de Gaulle, broadcast .over the Moscow radio, thanking them lor their message of congratulation to the Red Army on its two years’ struggle, emphasised the importance he placed on the second front. ' . To Mr Roosevelt, Mr Stalin said. “As a result of the Soviet Union’s two years’ struggle and the serious blows the Allies have inflicted on the Italian and German armies in North Africa, conditions have been created for the final defeat of the common enemy, I have no doubt that victory will come—and sooner when we strike our joint blows against the enemy from the east and the west.’ To General Giraud and General de Gaulle, he said: “The Russians are confident that the Allies' joint effort will terminate in complete and final victory.” « _ Mr Kalinin, chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, in a similar message to the Czech President (Dr. Benes), brought out the same point. “I share your full confidence that the United Nations’ joint active efforts will lead to victory," he said. ‘ Mr Roosevelt declared yesterday, according to a message from Washington. that his desire for a second front was as strong as the Russian people’s desire for such action. Reuter's Moscow correspondent sayS that the United States Ambassador to Russia (Admiral W. H. Standley) paid a tribute to Russian, British, and American co-operation. He expressed the opinion that co-operation had reached a maximum effort. “It must not cease with the defeat of Germany,” he said. “It must be continued until the defeat of Japan and must be maintaine/d after the war.”

FRENCH BAN ON COMMUNISM NATIONAL COMMITTEE REVOKES DECREE DECISIONS IN ALGIERS LONDON! June 25. The French Committee of National Liberation took a step of far-reaching political significance to-day when it drew up a decree revoking and annulling the decree passed by the Daladier Government on September 26, 1939, which outlawed Communism in France and dissolved the Communist . Party and all Communist organisations. Reuter’s correspondent in Algiers says that the new decree has not yet been formally passed. There are at present 26 Communist deputies in Algiers who were sent to North Africa from France under detention. Their full civil rights have now been restored, but their position as deputies is not yet clear. , , ~ The committee has also annulled all trials and penalties imposed for acts committed in the service of France since July, 1940. The cmnmittee also restored to office all officials who were dismissed, retired on pension-'or degraded for national activities or because of measures imposed by the enemy. All penalties imposed by Vichy on public officials are thus cancelled and the officials are now restored to their positions. The committee has also formed a special office for Alsace and Lorraine with a consultative council of Alsace and Lorraine natives attached to it. There are now a large number of refugees from these provinces in North Africa. The correspondent says that complete harmony prevailed at the meeting of the committee. The Morocco radio has announced that General de Gaulle presided at a full plenary session of the committee to-day after the arrival in Algiers of M. Monnet, the Commissioner of Information. M. Monnet informed his colleagues of th£ conversations he had had in the United States with the Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull).It is understood that General Giraud will leave for Washington shortly at the invitation of Mr Roosevelt, says a message from Algiers. .

U.S. ANTI-STRIKE BILL PRESIDENT’S VETO OVERRULED INTERRUPTION OF WAR WORK WASHINGTON, June 25. Mr Roosevelt has vetoed the Antistrike Bill, but the House of Representatives later voted 244 to 108, overriding the veto. The Senate also vc ted 56 to 25 to override the veto, and the measure thus becomes law. Mr Roosevelt said that the measure was entirely praiseworthy in purpose, but would in some cases produce strikes in vital war plants which otherwise would not occur. He would not recognise or accept the deadline of October 31 set by the United Mine Workers’ Association for continued coal production under Government control.

The President, who was addressing a press conference, explained that he was chiefly concerned to see the coal mined, which must be done. He pointed out that many persons were prone to forget that the United States was at war, and that the life of the nation was very much at stake. He declined to say whether he would sign the Anti-Strike Bill. Declaring that he intended to use Governmental powers to prevent interruption of work by strikes, Mr Roosevelt formally said he had recommended an amendment to the Selective Service Act whereby men aged 45-65 could be inducted into non-com-bat military service, and that he would approve legislation dealing with strikes harming the war effort. Mr Roosevelt criticised the bills provision for a secret ballot after 30 days’ notice of intention, to strike. He said this completely ignored organised Labour’s “no strike pledge” and provided, in effect, for strike notices and strike ballots. These would stimulate labour’s unrest and give Government sanction to strike agitations. Declaring his unalterable opposition to strikes in war time, Mr Roosevelt said he would unhesitatingly use his powers to prevent them. He concluded that labour and business? had kept well their “no strike and lock-out pledge,” except • the United Mine Workers’ Association. The Administration suffered its second defeat within two days when the Senate by 33 votes to 37 prohibited the payment of Government subsidies to reduce retail food prices. The House of Representatives passed the bill on Friday.

AMERICA’S OIL RESOURCES (Rec. 10.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON. June 27. The exhaustion within 14 to 20 years of all the nation’s now-known natural crude oil resources was predicted by Colonel Frank Knox (Secretary of the Navy) at a press conference. Colonel Knox said geologists believed there was little likelihood of new great deposits being discovered in the United States. Thus, to avoid America becoming a “have-not" nation, its resources must be conserved and. foreign resources developed.