THE WAR, CABINET

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 40, 17 February 1942, Page 5

THE WAR, CABINET

EMPIRE PARTICIPATION

CONSULTATION SYSTEM

RUGBY, February 15. Speaking at Bradford on the subject Of Empire participation iri the War Cabinet, the Australian represeritative, Sir Earle Page, said: "I was sent to London to find a workable means of solving the problem of continuous consultation between the Empire Governments, which has become more than ever necessary by the setting 'up of the supreme commands in different areas urider the direction Of the Allied War Councils. A plan has now been worked out which, I think, Will enable Australia and the Other Dominions, if they so desire, to take a full share in the direction of the war. "The problem of the Australian Government has been to find a method of exerting its influence sufficiently early in the ' formative stage of a policy. TO do this it is essential that the Dominion Government should have full knowledge of all facts, developments, and trends Of policy, and this knowledge must be obtained in clearlyexpressed views before decisions are made. It must have an Opportunity of placing befOre key-men Of various departments such as Services, Supply, and the Foreign Office the Australian point of view while the policy is still fluid. Its representatives should have the opportunity Of presenting to and discussirig: with the War Cabinet any suggestions as to new policy that Aus* tralia might desire frOm time tO time to submit. ' MACHINERY IN THREE PARTS. "As a result Of Our experience and discussions Over the past thr:ee months a system of intOr-governmental consultation has now been arranged by Britain to the Dominions whereby these essentials can be obtained over the whole field Of warlike activity. x "The British War Cabinet machinery consists of three parts. The first is the liaison machinery between all Departments of State. >This enables a continuous flow of information to be sent to the second part—the Defence Committee, which includes the chiefs [of staff. Their decisions are accepted or rejected by the War Cabinet, which is the third part of the maehiriery. "Machinery is now being made available to permit the fullest exchange of information at all the levels at which contact between the Governments takes place. It includes the accrediting of a special representative to the British War Cabinet, giving him facilities for securing knowledge frOm British departmental sources for carrying out his task, and makirig available to him all the information that is known to the other members of the War Cabinet. At the same timey it provides j the means to make contacts to enable | the * Australian jjOint of view to be put to aU British Departments. ! "An essential feature Of this orgaadIsation is the appointment by the different Dominions of liaison officers. Their function i_ to contact men of their own farik in tlie different Services and Supply Departments While policy is in the actual; makirig. VERTICAL LIAISON. "This contact is specially necessary at that point in the Department m which a general view of the whole subject matter i_ being discussed, a stage Where a summary can be prepared for those higher up to have; a bird's-eye view Of the situation. At this point oral discussion between the

stroy one after another the fortified! tbwris guarding Smolensk rather than a£ an encircleriifent bf Sttiblensk, Which would be impossible under the present conditions of weather and terrain. Russian reports record further progress in the Leningrad region and also on the southern front, particularly southward of Kharkov. The "Daily Telegraph's" Stockholm cbri'espbrident says the Rtissian High Cbmmand is flingirig in wave after wave of reinfbrcements with the £rdcision bf a well-biled machine. Berlin admits that the Russians -fa cbntinubusly attacking day and night. Increased German tank activity has been noticed, while bri one sector of the central front the Germans, trying to ape the Russians, are using ski trbbps in night attacks. ,