JOINT ACTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23970, 20 November 1939, Page 8

JOINT ACTION

ECONOMIC WAR EFFORT ALLIED ARRANGEMENTS SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph- Copyright) RUGBY, Nov. 17. A meeting of the Supreme War Council was held in London to-day and was attended by M. Daladier, General Gamelin, Admiral Darlan, and General Vuillemin, for France, and by Mr* Chamberlain, Lord Halifax, the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence (Lord Chatfield) and the Air Secretary (Sir Kingsley Wood), for Britain.

The council passed in- review the military situation and its possible further development. Complete agreement was reached on the best method of the combined employment of the French and British forces for the most effective conduct of operations. A joint statement issued by the British and French Prime Ministers says: “With a view to making full use of the experience gained in the years 1914-1918, the British and French Governments decided- from the outset of the war to co-ordinate in the fullest possible manner the economic war effort of the two countries. Immediate steps were taken at the outbreak of the war with this object. In pursuance of the decisions reached by Mr Chamberlain and M. Daladier at the last meeting of the Supreme War Council, the arrangements already put into effect by the two Governments have now been strengthened and completed in such ways as to ensure common action in the following fields:—Air, munitions, raw materials, oil, food, shipping, and economic warfare. Co-ordination of Plana “The new measures adopted by the two Governments will provide for the best use in the common interest of the resources of both countries in raw materials, means of production, tonnage, and so on. They will also provide for an equal distribution between them of any limitations, should circumstances render necessary the reduction of programmes of imports. The two countries will in future draw up their import programmes jointly, and will avoid competition in purchases which they have to make abroad in carrying out those programmes. The execution of these tasks has been entrusted to permanent Anglo-French executive committees and under the AngloFrench Co-ordinating Committee, which are being set up immediately. “ The agreements reached can, if required, be - extended to , other fields. They afford further evidence of the determination of the two countries to co-ordinate their war efforts to the fullest possible extent. “By this means arrangements have been carried into effect, two months after the beginning of hostilities, for the organisation of common action by the two countries, which was only achieved during the last conflict at the end of the third year.’’ Visit to France The Secretary for W.ar (Mr L. HoreBelisha) flew to France to inspect the British armies, including that part of the Maginot Line under Viscount Gort’s command. He will also visit the French front and will held conferences with M. Daladier and General Gamelin in Paris on November 20. PRODUCTION OF WAR SUPPLIES FACTORY’S QUICK CHANGE-OVER SCIENTISTS’ IMPORTANT WORK (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Nov. 17. A striking example of the manner in which the war speeds up industry and changes its direction is afforded in the case of a large works whose peace-time output of gramophones, radio, and television sets, bicycles, and electrical apappliances is known throughout the world.

Under the direction of the Ministry of Supply these works, in addition to their normal activities, are now producing smoke shell cases, fuses, prismatic compasses, aerial winches, reels and frames, tools, jigs, predictors, mine covers, and sound locators. Scientists are playing an important part in perfecting these and other in-, struments. and in the case of sound detectors for the location of the whereabouts of enemy aircraft they have, with the co-operation of the industry, provided the army with a method of picking up sounds and recording them on dials with unfailing accuracy. UNIFIED AIR COMMAND BRITISH OFFICER TO BE APPOINTED LONDON, Nov. 18. (Received Nov. 19, at 8 p.m.) It is undex-stood that the formation of a unified air command under a British officer, with status similar to General Gamelin’s in the field, only awaits the choice of the best man for the post. This is one of the results of yesterday’s meeting of the Supreme War Council.