SUPPLIES FOR RUSSIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 25 October 1941, Page 5

SUPPLIES FOR RUSSIA

PROMISES BEING CARRIED OUT BURDEN ON lllimsil PRODUCTION STATEMENT BY LORI) BK.V VERBKO K Speaking in the House of Lords .mi the Russian supply situation, the .Minister of Supply. Lord Beaverbrook, compared the position in Moscow now with that of Britain in May, 1940. Then, he said, Britain had to reorganise her imports of industrial materials; thanks to the energy of the Prime Minister she had done so. and there was no exe-tion that labour had not been ready# to make. Men and women had worked incessantly. In Russia a similar process of reconstruction had already begun. Lord Beaverbrook said that M. 'Stalin had told him that he had earned out a process which he called “leap inn- .g." Industries were moved i back and moved again as the enemy j made further progress. He said that | that was not always a difficult task, 'but it did mean some damage to production. Britain's help to Russia. he conjtinued, began to flow immediately Gei - | many invaded that country. When the British supply mission arrived in , Moscow, the delegates asked at. once j what losses the Russian Government I had suffered in tank and aircraft out (put. Mr Averill Harnman made it J clear that United States help for Russia would mean Britain foregoing some of what had been promised, and M. Stalin was promised immediate restoration of everything that had been 10. . up to that moment. “ESSENTIALLY A TANK WAR” When certain artillery was offered, Lord Beaverbrook said. M. Stalin refused. as Russia had enough. “That further strengthened the confidence be tween us,” said Lord Beaverbrook. "We saw that he was determined tu ask only for the goods he urgently required." Lord Beaverbrook paid a tribute to M. Stalin's knowledge of munitions and said that the Soviet leader had emphasised that the war was a tank war. “I asked about aircrar " added Lord Beaverbrook, “but he replied that it was essentially a tank war, and he added that the country that was capable of producing the most and best motors was sure of winning." Lord Beaverbroook said that industrial locomotives and rolling stock for re-equipping Russia’s railways were already in the process of delivery. Britain was also sending wheat from her stocks in Canada and sugar from her reserves in thi. country. Shipments from the United States were going ahead steadily. He had received a message from the British purchasing mission in Washington. It was brief and to the point: "United States promises are being fulfilled.” MINIS! ER' S W A RMNGS Lord Beaverbrook said it would be wrong to conceal that the burden on British production was very heavy indeed. More had been given than some people might approve of. Tanks jha '. been given to such an extent that j there must be an immense increase in output on terms so far thought impossible. Aircraft production, as well 'as accessories, must also be increased. There was a surplus of raw materials, and the machine-tool position was satisfactory. Labour was the only shortage. Lord Beaverbrook ended his speech with an appeal to the working men and women of Britain. "When you have finished your job and you have made guns and aeroplanes and plenty of tanks, you must be prepared to leave the benches and workshops and take up the weapons you have made to defend our country,” he said. "When the attack comes, as surely it will, the whole population will be involved, just as the whole population of Moscow is involv“l believe in the Russian defence, but if the enemy is ever successful in overcoming Russia and pinning her down then for a certainty dark terror will inflict horrors on our people.”— U.P.A.