EMPIRE’S WAR EFFORT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 215, 9 August 1940, Page 6

EMPIRE’S WAR EFFORT.

The official announcement from East Africa that a conference on the Empire’s war effort will be held at Delhi in October is full of interest. Reports of such meetings have a habit of coming from the least expected quarter, but the Prime Minister, who might have made it known to the public as soon as the South African authorities did, has been quick to state that this Dominion will be represented. The conference apparently is between the three Empire countries, but no doubt Indian and British delegates will be there also. Indian troops in large numbers are in Egypt and many more no doubt may be sent to British Somaliland to help in barring Italy’s access to the sea. The Indian Empire has a lively interest in the events in Northern Africa and is giving Britain very considerable help. For the time boin£T Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa have their front also in Northern Africa and a conference to consider the wai effort with its germane subjects of production and supply should be productive of benefit to all concerned. The formation of the East Africa Economic Council embracing six colonies to coordinate the production locally of war materials is an important movement. There can be no haphazard plan in this connection, co-ordination is a vital need to prevent overlapping where it hinders the maximum effort and to bring all endeavour under the control of a single organisation. The formation of this council is an earnest of these colonies determined intention to play n worthy part in' the battle for their liberty.