BARE MINIMUM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 41, 19 February 1943, Page 4

BARE MINIMUM

SUPPLIES FOR DOMINIONS ALLIED SHIPPING PROBLEM REVIEWED (Recd. 6.10 p.m.) London, Feb. 17. “In this fourth year of war we can provide tonnage for the Empire overseas for only the bare minimum of essentialities,” said Lord Leathers, Minister of War Transport, at a conference of Empire correspondents. He explained that this was because of subordinating all other requirements to those of the Allied armies. "But,” he added, "The Empire has done all it possibly could in the general war need. It places a responsibility on us to see that their minimum needs are met.” Lord Leathers indicated that the shipping position was less bad than last year. Allied construction had exceeded losses. Britain was no longer using up capital in the form of ships, but dipping in for stocks of foods and raw materials, for it was obvious that such campaigns as that in North Africa could only be carried out at the expense of the import programme. "But sooner or later those arrears ot the import programme must be made good and stocks replenished. We therefore are no means out of danger. On the contrary the struggle to make both ends meet in the shipping sense has never been harder. “The most encouraging feature is the shipyards’ increased output of the United Nations," he added. Production this year was estimated at 14,000:000 gross tons, compared with 4,600,000 tons which were the peak launchings of the British, American, and Dominion yards last year but against that there were heavy commitments to Russia and the keeping up of a large army in India for eventual operations “further east," and such a campaign would not. be held up because of lackq of shipping which would be there when required. There was also heavy demands on shipping for the Middle East and North African operations and over all an intensification of the U-boat warfare had to be met.

“This is no time for letting up. but if possible cutting down,” he said. "What we have gained or hope to gain In new tonnage is more than offset by new heavy demands on shipping for the transport of arms and men. Our forces overseas must have first claim and we shall shrink from no sacrifice to meet that claim.”

He added that the opening of the Mediterranean would solve many problems. The Allies had no reserves of shipping, but everything was in “full play.”