WAR COUNCIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24195, 10 February 1942, Page 6

WAR COUNCIL

I AUSTRALIA'S MEMBER SIR E. PAGE CHOSEN LONDON, Feb. » The Australian Minister in London, Sir Earle Page> will ' represent the Commonwealth on the Pacific War Council. This was announced to-day by the Commonwealth Prime Minister, Mr. J. Curtin, who also stated that the strengthening of the Australian Service representation at Washington was <being considered. , The Times states this morning that the main function of the new Anzae naval force in the South-west Pacific at present will probably he the protection of convoys carrying supplies and reinforcements from the United States. Later it will probably'be made use of to -turn the Japanese" out of New Guinea. ■';>':"'' The well-known American military expert, Major George Fielding Eliot, writing in the Now". York JETeraldTribune, asserts that the British, and American people cannot expect. full military co-operation from their Allies until they establish" a Supreme Allied War Council, in which all principal Allies can participate on an equal footing. The establishment of a British and American joint staff is a step in the right direction, he states, but he says it is only a beginning. "This is not a British and American war against the Axis. It is a war of a great worldwide coalition against the Axis and a coalition, including not only the United States and the British Commonwealth, but- also Russia and the Netherlands East Indies.

"Obviously, we cannot expect full co-operation from- these Allies unless they are granted full participation in decisions of policy. Nothing could be more unfortunate than to give the impression at Chungking, Moscow and Batavia that the war is being run as a British and American enterprise with others, graciously permitted to spill their blood as directed and called in to endorse decisions already taken."