PACIFIC WAR COUNCIL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 9 April 1942, Page 3

PACIFIC WAR COUNCIL

ENCOURAGING REVIEW SUPPLY AND MUNITIONS PROBLEM The Pacific War Council met m the White House for an hour and a half to-day. The lease-lead director. •Mi Harry liopkinsli was absent, and lit Le'ghton McCarthy represented Can ada; otherwise the personnel was the same as last week. Lord Halifax, the British Ambassador. who was the first to leave, said that President Roosevelt presented a very encouraging review of the reinforcements. both in men and material, which the United States had sent to various points in the Pacific, and there had been a great deal of talk about the allocation of munitions and the principles concerning its distribution. The New Zealand member. Mr Nash, said that everything was going excellently, and he did not know a council or meeting that was doing a belter job than they were doing so far. Dr. Soong, th Chinese member, said llqil the picture in the Pacific was encouraging from tin; Chinese point of view. Mr McCarthy said that Hie meeting dis cussed the general war situation as it affected all countries, including Can ada. and he added that Mr Mackenzie King will be going to Washington to alien’d sessions of the council if pos siblc Dr. Kvatl the Australian represen tative. remained after the meeting, arid (hen went to the White House resl deuce for a luncheon which the Rouse velts gave him and his wife. Dr. Evatt is going lo Canada, and will return to Washington for the next meeting of the council on Mth April. IMPORTANT SV'STKH Ur Kvatl* told the Piers that the second meeting of the council fulfilled the promise of the first. "We are gradually getting to grips with the supply and munitions problem, so that they may be treated on the basis of assign merit to theatres of war rather than to governments.” be said. "This will enable important but subordinate matters such as shipping, munitions sup i

plies, and raw materials to be related continuously to the assessed strategic requirements of each and every theatre of war." It was explained that, the new Vys te.m is important, because it will put power in the hands of Ihe strategic leaders and the joint staffs, who will allocate a proportion of all the munitions and ships available to certain areas, such as the Pacific, Middle East, and Russia, and everything then automatically goes in proportion, keeping the whole distribution free of political pressure. The military men will decide all cm cial questions. It is known I hat. Ibe military chiefs in Washington have placed tin* Pacific in an exalted posi tion in their appraisals, and therefore the new method is undoubtedly eminently satisfactory for Australia.—P.A