WAR PURCHASES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23851, 30 December 1940, Page 7

WAR PURCHASES

LIMIT OF RESOURCES AIRCRAFT FOR BRITAIN AMERICAN LABOUR'S PLAN By Tetoprnph -Press Association—Copyright (Received December 29, 7.5 p.m.) "WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 A preliminary audit of British resources in the Fnited States reveals that Britain will run out of cash to pay for war materials early in the autumn. The director of General Motors division of the I nited Automobile Workers, Mr. Walt Heuther, author of (lie Congress of Industrial Organisations' plan to build 500 fighter aeroplanes daily in idle automobile plant facilities, broadcast a plea for the speedy adoption of the plan lest it should be too late to aid Britain. If it were implemented immediately, he said, enough aeroplanes would be turned out after mx months to swamp the German Air Force. '"This is labour's plan," he added. "Why should labour concern itself with speeding aeroplane production? It is concerned because it believes the country's main defence is the little fortress isle holding off the Nazi bombers on the other side of the Atlantic." Conference o! Democracies Urged President Roosevelt told a press conference that the proposal, which was announced by the pesident oi the Congress of Industrial Organisations, Mr. Philip Murray, on December 2.'i, was bein»; seriously studied. The inter-faith Committee to aid the Democracies, a new organisation of Catholic, Jewish and Protestant clergy and laymen, has issued a declaration urging that war supplies should be freely given and lent to Britain. It urged President Roosevelt to call a conference of the democracies, including the invaded countries, in order to "take counsel together for the defence of liberties and set forth with a common purpose to achieve a world in which freemen can live." The chairman of the new organisation is Dr. Henry Sloane Coffin, president of the Union Theological Seminary, and the secretary is Dr. Henry Atkinson, of the Church Peace Union. Signers of the declaration include Catholic and Protestant bishops, rabbis and a Jesuit. No Comment on Mediation Plans The Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, when asked the possibility of American mediation for a negotiated peace, which isolationists are at present urging, replied that he had no comment to make for the present. Previous President Roosevelt replied similarly to an identical question. It is anticipated that he may answer this mediation talk during his broadcast on Sunday. DANISH VESSELS REFUGE IN PHILIPPINES POSSIBLE HANDING TO BRITAIN (Received December ■_'!», p.m.) MANILA, Dec. 'J7 Reliable circles state that four Danish ships which have taken refuge in the Philippine Islands will be handed over to .Britain shortly by agreement between Britain and the United States. PARCEL POST TO BALKANS British Wireless LONDON, Dec. -js The Postmaster-General. Mr. W. S. Morrison, announced that the parcel post service to Greece, Turkey and Yugo'avia would be restored on Janiuirv 1.