WORK BEGUN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24084, 1 October 1941, Page 7

WORK BEGUN

MOSCOW CONFERENCE VOROSHILOFF ATTENDS NEED FOR QUICK DECISIONS (Reed. 7.50 p.m.) MOSCOW, Sept, SO After the formal opening of the Three-Power Conference by the chairman, M. Molotoff, six committees were appointed, namely, army, naval, air, transport, raw materia] and medical supplies. The committees began work immediately and will report to the conference on Friday. Marshal Voroshiloff arrived from the front to attend the conference as representative of the Red Army. In his opening speech, M. Molotoff paid high tribute to Lord Beaverbrook and Mr, Averall Harriman, the American representative. Lord Beaverbrook said: "We are in partnership with the Russians, arid we are ready to make every sacrifice to help to conquer our common enemy." M. Molotoff had said time was precious, and he was right. Mr. Harriman said: "The despatch of the United States mission is historic because America is non-belligerent; but we come with your ally, Britain, with the same object—to give you every assistance against the violent and unwarranted attack by Hitler and his cohorts. Your success means everything to the people of America, and I am instructed to pledge you the fullest possible support to-day, to-morrow and as long as the struggle lasts until victory is won." The proceedings lasted only 30 minutes. M. Stalin afterward received Lord Beaverbrook and Mr. Harriman, in the presence of M. Molotoff and M. Litvinoff. The British and American delegations issued a joint communique which stated: "Red tape and long speeches were entirely absent. The six committees began their sessions immediately with orders to work day and night and make full reports on Russian needs by Friday morning." Lord Beaverbrook and Mr. Harriman later had a second conference with M. Stalin. The discussions lasted three and a-quarter hours. The Director-General of the Ministry of Information, Sir Walter Monckton, is to visit Moscow for discussions with the deputy-Chief of the Soviet Information Bureau, M. Lozovsky. Many questions have arisen, it is stated, which concern the two Ministries.

SOVIET NAVY'S PART DEFENCE OF CAUCASUS GENERAL WAVELL'S VIEWS TEHERAN, Sept. 29 General Sir Archibald Wavell, in an interview with newspaper correspondents in Teheran, where he and his staff are conferring with Russian officers, said lie did not think the Germans could push round the north shores of the Black Sea while the Soviet Navy was still active. The Soviet Fleet could only he knocked out by taking all its bases or sending the Italian navy into the Black Sea. The Italians would have to force the Dardanelles or obtain Turkish consent to their passage, and there was certainly no sign that Turkey would consent. General Wavell, asked if he would visit Russia, replied, "Well, not yet." Me will discuss with the Russians the defence of the Caucasus, the joint defence of Irak and Iran and the great oil wells. He is also expected to study arrangements now being made by British officers and civilian transport experts for sending supplies to the Soviet. Plans are rapidly being drawn up to reorganise the Iranian railway system and establish large-scale road transport. FIGHTING AT CHANGSHA LONDON, Sept. 2!) The Chinese military spokesman, according to a Chungking message, claimed that the Japanese lost 20,000 out of 80,000 in the fight for Changsha, which, he said, is still in Chinese hands. The battle is raging furiously. The Japanese are held about seven miles off.