THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1941 MUTUAL WAR PROBLEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23880, 3 February 1941, Page 6

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1941 MUTUAL WAR PROBLEMS

The decision of the Commonwealth Government to send a delegation to confer with the New Zealand Government on "mutual war problems" will be warmly approved in this country. Particularly gratifying is the official and practical recognition that the defence problems of Commonwealth and Dominion are indeed mutual. The security of either depends on the successful defence of the other. Australian public opinion is apparently as fully persuaded of this interdependence as that in New Zealand because when Mr. Sullivan visited the Commonwealth six months ago he noted a universal desire that the two countries should be organised as "a single defence unit." The return visit that is shortly to be paid by an Australian delegation indicates that the .Federal Government shares the public conviction and seeks to improve the machinery of co-ordination. Both countries are already parties to the larger Imperial scheme for the more intensive organisation of the resources and defences of the Empire countries east of Suez. What the Secretary for India, Mr. Amery, said of the larger scheme is true on a smaller and more local scale of the co-operation of the two Dominions. "Their resources in manpower, in industry, and in raw material are immense, if these can be effectively combined." This tits the case of Australia and New Zealand if the word "considerable" be substituted for "immense." The combination can be made formidable and an extra guarantee of security. So far as the military side of coordination goes, the technical problems should be easily solved, as the forces of both countries are armed with standardised equipment, use the same system of drill and training,- and possess a common fighting tradition, established on Gallipoli and in Flanders and now being renewed in the Middle East. There should be no difficulty in building a strong fortress on that joint foundation, if the authorities arc prepared to go beyond talk about the beauties of co-ordination and work out plans and specifications. They saw in May last year what happened to nations that were in close political and spiritual accord but were defeated in detail for lack of a common plan of defence. Holland and Belgium were afraid to compromise their neutrality and too jealous of their complete independence and entire sovereignty. In their ruin they helped to bring down France and endangered the B.E.F. If the Dominions have in the past insisted overmuch on their autonomy, they should now be chastened and prepared to apply the lesson. Standing on the dignity of autonomy is too expensive a luxury in these days of power politics. Constitutional theories must give way to hard ! facts, and happy gestures across the Tasman to hard desk work on practical defence plans expressed in numbers and quantities and fire power. How far the general staffs of the two countries have travelled in this direction is not known. There, is reason to believe some progress has been made, especially in the allotment of responsibilities on the Pacific outpost screen covering both. The visit of the Australian delegation should nevertheless be used to work toward the ideal of organising a "single defence unit" in the southwest Pacific. The personnel of the delegation suggests that it will be concerned more with supply than military questions. In this department of the war effort, Australia should be able to give New Zealand most valuable aid,. She entered the war with considerable industrial equipment, and has vigorously developed it for munitions output. She is now beginning to reap the fruit of earlier planning and organisation and expects shortly to raise annual output t6 the value of £80,000,000, and the labour force to 150,000. New Zealand has nothing comparable to show. Her progress on the industrial front had not been discernible until recently. Mr. Sullivan came back from Australia convinced that New Zealand could not obtain all her requirements there and must make the most of her own resources. Much time would have been saved if that necessity had been recognised from the beginning. As it is, New Zealand's munitions programme is only now getting under way. Mr. Sullivan gave some details in Auckland last week of what is b° : ng accomplished, and will have something to show the Australian delegation. The fact that we are beginning to harness our industrial capacity will be our best rccom-j mendation in placing orders across j the Tasman for equipment beyond j our manufacturing capabilities. If,' moreover, we impress the delegation | that we seriously intend to make | actual our remaining industrial : potential, we can expect full Atis- j tralian co-operation in mak ing up! deficiencies on our supply front.