READY TO STRIKE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24244, 9 April 1942, Page 7

READY TO STRIKE

OFFENSIVE ACTION THE FIRST CANADIAN ARMY FUTURE WAR ON CONTINENT (Rccd. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, AprU 7 "If the policy of raids, similar to the St. Nazaire raid, is developed, I anticipate that Canadian troops will participate," said General A. McNaughton when interviewed regarding the establishment of the First Canadian Army, of which he is commander. He added that his force had a high proportion of armoured cars, artillery and enj gineers.

The Canadian troops in recent months had had two roles, said General McNaughton. One was to play their part in the defence of Britain against invasion, co-operating with the much larger British forces, and the other was to prepare in anticipation of offensive operations on the Continent. Raiding and patrol activity were part of the training which the troops required, and it was the normal procedure for the army to send patrols out. They should never lose sight of the fact that, in order to win the war, offensive action on the Continent of Europe would be necessary, and the Canadian forces had to prepare themselves to take part in those operations when the time arrived. General McNaughton added that he came away from Washington very much heartened by the fact that the United States was a very powerful nation, and was being organised by men with clear heads, determination and patience. £20,000,000 A DAY COST TO UNITED STATES MUNITIONS AND WAR WORK LONDON, April 8 The United States production chief, Mr. Donald Nelson, states in a report published yesterday that the United States has been spending more than £20,000,000 a day on munitions and war construction work. War contracts let are now three times as large as a year ago. This year United States production will probably exceed President Roosevelt's estimate by £1,250,000,000. The Chicago Sun states that the United States output of aircraft has about doubled since the attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7. The newspaper states that tank production is so far ahead of schedule that the figures originally aimed at have been exceeded. Ships, both merchant and naval, are being launched at the rate of one a day.

MEXICAN INDUSTRIES PLANNED DEVELOPMENT UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE (Reed. 6.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April 7 The United States and Mexico have jointly announced a six-point programme designed to aid the American war effort, also to develop Mexico's vast resources. The programme calls for the development of Mexican industry, including a construction steel and tinplate_ rolling mill, with American eredits;_ increasing the capacity of the Mexican railways through the' addition of needed rolling stock; studying the feasibility of constructing small cargo vessels with material and tools furnished by the United States; the construction of a high octane gasoline refinery in Mexico with United States equipment; streamlining the procedure for handling priorities and allocations for Mexico based on Mexico's needs in relation to the war production effort of the United States; the early conclusion of a reciprocal trade agreement between the two countries. It was explained that the establishment of -various new industries in Mexico would be accomplished by the co-operation of private investors as well as the Mexican Government, and any further capital needed would be supplied by the United States Export and Import Bank.

SALES TAX OPPOSED MR. ROOSEVELT'S STAND (Reed. 6.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April 7 President Roosevelt, at a press conference, again emphasised his opposition to a federal sales tax. The subject came up when an interviewer remarked that income tax on the 10,000 dollars yearly salary of a member of Congress would be practically doubled under the Treasury's current proposals for greatly increased individual income rates. Mr. Roosevelt said he had not known what the figured were. He was then asked if he had figured out his own tax next year under the Treasury proposal. He replied smiling that he had not, since the tax he paid this year under the present tax rates wau bad enough. Asked if this statement inclined him toward a sales tax, Mr. Roosevelt replied: "No, in spite of personal hardship." Although a Federal sales tax is opposed by Mr. Roosevelt and Treasury officials, influential members of Congress have stated that the goal of 7,500,000,000 dollars of new war revenues cannot be achieved without it. Representatives of both the Congress of Industrial Organisations and the American Federation of Labour have publicly opposed the imposition of a sales tax.

CIVILIAN ECONOMY PRICE OF EARLY VICTORY (Reed. 6.10 p.m.) "WASHINGTON, April 7 The chairman of the War Production Board, Mr. Donald Nelson, disclosed that production of most durable goods would be stopped by May 3.1. Orders would be issued in a few days halting most private building construction and prohibiting the use of iron and steel in hundreds of cases. Civilian economy would become leaner and leaner as the war programme progressed. "We are taking away from the people the things which make the standard of living, but it is the way of total all-out war and the price of an early victory," said Mr. Nelson. "Industrial casualties will be as inevitable as deaths on the battlefield, but it is hoped there will be as few as possible.'