ECONOMIC UNITY OF ALLIES

Southland Times, Issue 23978, 20 November 1939, Page 7

ECONOMIC UNITY OF ALLIES

VITAL RESOURCES TO BE POOLED MOVE BY SUPREME WAR COUNCIL AVOIDING COMPETITION BY CO-OBDINATION (British Official Wireless) (Received November 19, 9.30 p.m.) RUGBY, November 18. To eliminate wasteful competition Britain and France are to pool their vital resources, and purchases from abroad for the Allies will be made by a committee representing the two nations. Thus if there is a shortage of any material which both countries require, the available supplies will be divided. It is pointed out that this decision has been made after only two months of war; in the Great War such, co-ordination took three years. Final agreement on this plan, which has been in course of preparation since the outbreak of war, was reached by the Supreme War Council which met in London on Friday. The meeting was attended by M. Daladier, General Marie Gamelin, Admiral Jean Darlan, and General Pierre Vulleimin for France and Mr Neville Chamberlain, Viscount Halifax, Lord Chatfield, Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence, and Sir Kingsley Wood, Minister for Air. The council reviewed the military situation and its possible further development. Complete agreement was

reached on the best method for the combined employment of the French and British forces foi 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 of 1914 to 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. EARLY PREPARATION "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 and raw materials, oil, food, shipping and economic warfare. “The new measures adopted by the 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 make necessary the reduction of the 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 will be carried out under an Anglo-French coordinating committee which is 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.”

SCHEME FOR EMPIRE AIR TRAINING APPROVAL OF STATES AWAITED OTTAWA, November 18. The Australian and New Zealand delegates have cabled their Governments details of the air proposals.. Approval of the scheme is expected within two or three days, when a general conference will be held, at which a speedy and final agreement can be expected, with an announcement within a fortnight. It is believed that orders for aeroplanes already have- been placed with the United States. CO-OPERATION OF NAVAL FORCES (British Official Wireless) (Received November 19, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, November 18. An agreement has been signed between the Polish and British Governments making provision for the cooperation of certain units of the Polish naval forces with those of the British Navy. DENIAL OF GERMAN ALLEGATION (Received November 19, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, November 18. A complete denial is given in official quarters in London to the suggestion of the German radio that the British Government has warned merchants that if they continue to trade with Germany their trade with Britain would be interrupted and credits due to the Greeks in London would be confiscated. The sympathetic attitude of the British Government to neutral trading rights has been repeatedly emphasized in statements made by responsible British Ministers.