SPEEDY AID FOR SOVIET

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22065, 11 September 1941, Page 5

SPEEDY AID FOR SOVIET

Assurance By Prime

Minister

By Telegraph—Press Assoclal

LONDON, September 9.

Supplies are being hastened to

Russia in increasing quantities. The Prime Minister (Mr Churchill) told the House qf Commons to-day that considerable quantities -had already been delivered and more were on the way. Russia’s need was urgent for her task was a heavy one.

The House cheered wildly when Mr Churchill spoke of the magnificent resistance of the Russian armies.

“The successful withdrawal of the vast front in the teeth of the Nazi invasion has dispelled Hitler’s hope of a short war with Russia.” said Mr Churchill. "Already, ta three months, he has lost more German blood than was shed ta any single year of the last war.”

Huge Supply Problem Mr Churchill said that it was impossible for anyone representing the British Government to discuss or argue the question of the military projects which had been examined, but from the moment of the invasion the British Government had cast about for every means to give the utmost effective help to its new ally. The need of material aid was urgent and the scale heavy, because a considerable part of the munitions industry and the iron and steel production of Russia had fallen Into enemy hands. The Soviet Union had anything from 10,000,006 to 15.000,000 soldiers and arms and equipment for nearly all of them, but aid ta supplying these masses to enable them to realise their longcontinuing force and organise the operation of supply would be the task of the Anglo-American-Russian conference. The whole problem, both In Britain and the United States, had been ceaselessly studied, and the arrival of the American mission was awaited.