POOLING OF RESOURCES

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LXI, Issue 17, 1 March 1940, Page 4

POOLING OF RESOURCES

FRENCH AND BRITISH

EMPERES

CLOSE UNION ESTABLISHED

Plans for a common Anglo#French export policy, which are now being evolved, were seen in London to be taking the two Allies a long step toward as camplete an integration of their two economic systems as possible without actual political federation, says the Christian Science Monitor.

Formation of an 'exports pool" would be one of the final links in an economic chain binding the two countries. Already they have coordinated war and finance, established joint overseas buying of commodities, completed details of plans for collaboration in industrial scientific research.

The fact that experts are now tackling the complex problems raised by a joint export policy has been disclosed by M. Raoul d'Autry, French Minister of Armaments, who has completed an important series of consultations with Mr Leslie Burgin, Minister of Supply. These talks are stated to have advanced Anglo-French collaboration more rapidly than any previous meeting of experts since the war

began,

More Than Collaboration

"Collaboration is too weak a word," M. d'Autry declared^ "Instead of collaboration I should prefer to speak of Franco-British

union."

"There are no longer any secrets or frontiers between us," he added. "We have not only taken our position side by side in the stiff . climb to victory, but we have roped ourselves together."

Mr Burgin underlined M. d'Autry's words with a statement that it isn't just the two countries which are concerned, but two vast! empires. "What we-are doing," Mr. Burgin explained, "is making one pool of the two empires, not only in raw materials but in actual manufacturing capacity." Transfer to Either Side As an example he instanced the possibility —even probability— of machine tools (those devices which make the machines) crossing from one side of the channel to the other, according to the needs of either country^ He stressed the importance of this in a war which depended so.much on the accuracy of mechanical weapons.

The agreements between Mr Burgin ahd M. d'Autry include establishment of new factories on either side of the channel to make good any weakness of production in either country, transfer of workers if necessary for convenience, pooling of new arms, exchange of engineers and industrial experts, and establishment of a permanent liaison between the mobilised resources of natural science.