DEFENCE MEASURES

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 February 1947, Page 8

DEFENCE MEASURES

COLLABORATION BY CANADA AND AMERICA reciprocalTarrangement .'WASHINGTON, Feb. 12. The extent to which the. United States and Canada will continue defence collaboration in peace -time, was I announced simultaneously in Washington and Ottawa to-day as a result l of recent • discussions by the permanent Joint Board of Defence established in 1940 by Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Mackenzie King. The principles on. which collaboration is based will be: (1) the interchange of selected persons to increase the familiarity of each country with the defence establishments of the ’other; (2) general co-operation and ■ exchange of observers at exercises and tests of material; (3) encouragement of common designs and standlards in arms, equipment, organisation and training methods (as certain United Kingdom methods have long been used in Canada no radical I change is contemplated or practicable and the implication of this principle will be gradual); (4) reciprocal I availability of military, naval and ah' facilities; (5) all co-operative arrangements will be without impairment of the control of either country over all activities in its territory. No Treaty. ‘The State Department announcement emphasised that no treaty, . executive agreement or contractual obligation was involved and either country might discontinue collaboration at. any time. Neither would take any action inconsistent, with the United Nations Charter. Mr Mackenzie King, making an announcement in the House of Commons in Ottawa denied emphatically that the United States had asked for military bases in the Canadian north. “There has been talk of Maginot Lines and large defence projects, all of which are unwarranted, and much • of which is fantastic,” he said. “We , are trying to view the situation soberly, realistically and undramati- . cally.” Northern Defences Mr. Mackenzie King added that the subject of northern defences natur- ’ ally had engaged the attention of many people both in Canada and . abroad. Recent technological advances had brought new geographic I features into play. The Polar regions had assumed new importance as the shortest routes between North America and the principal world ‘ population centres. Consequently 1 Canada must think and learn more • about those regions. ’ Mr. Mackenzie King said that the • United States also recognised the need for more familiarity with northern > conditions and it had been arranged • for its Government to participate in the work of the winter experimental • station at Churchill, Manitoba, where ■ clothing, equipment and transport were being tested. It might be neces- • sary to undertake other joint tests , and projects to acquire the data needed to make the economic resources of • this region more accessible. Such . tests would be valuable also for defence. The Canadian spokesman in Lon- ’ don made it clear that the United States-Canadian joint defence arrangements will not in any way affect the Commonwealth plans for co-operation fox' defence.