BRITISH EVOLUTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 99, 23 October 1940, Page 8

BRITISH EVOLUTION

A NEW STAGE

THE DELHI CONFERENCE

LONDON, October 21.

The Delhi correspondent of "The Times" says that the Eastern Group Supply Conference marks a new stage in British political evolution because the Commonwealth's sister countries are assuming the responsibility of collaborating as a unit supporting the British war effort when the Mother Country is preoccupied with her own peculiar problems.

The vast resources of the British countries east of Suez will be organised on a full war basis under a scheme aimed at making the participating countries self-supporting for war purposes, the deficiencies of one being made up from the resources of the others.

While this will benefit the whole Commonwealth, special consideration is being given to the immediate needs of Britain. The Roger Mission made a month's survey of the Indian industrial field and will be associated with the conference, thus simplifying the relation of India's arms expansion to the capacities of other Commonwealth countries and the wider strategical requirements of the British forces in the East and Near East.

The "Daily Telegraph" says that the conference wilr not be protracted. A standing committee will be formed later to facilitate the smooth working of the supply scheme. Discussion on general economic questions is being rigorously excluded. The chief items affected are munitions, including motor vehicles, clothing, equipment, engineering stores, precision instruments, drugs, medicines, food, petrol, oil and lubricants, naval construction, and aircraft.