TALKS WERE HIGHLY SECRET

Chronicle (Levin), 21 October 1948, Page 7

TALKS WERE HIGHLY SECRET

Received Thursday, 10.25 a.m. LONDON, Oct. 20. Field Marshal Lord Montgomery attended a meeting of Dominions representatives today, when defence was discussed. j Mr. Attlee gave the conference, an overall picture of Britain's de-i fence arrangements. Lord Mont-, gomery attended as Chief of the Imperial General Staff. He does not officially become chairman of the Western Union Permanent De-i fence Council until November 1. A spokesman termed the Prime Ministers' talks today as "highlyj secret." Those present includedj service chiefs, the First Lord of the ; Admiralty (Lord Hall), the Secretary for Air (Mr. Arthur Henderson), the Secretary for War (Mr. E. Shinwell), the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir Stafford Cripps), the Foreign Secretary (Mr. Ernestj Bevin) , the Lord President of the j Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison), the Minister of Defence (Mr. A. V. Alexander), the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. H. Dalton), the Leader of the House of Lords (Lord Addison), the Secretary for Commonwealth Relations (Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker) and the Secretary for Colonies (Mr. Creech Jones). It is understood that the decision reached in the communique to build up the armed forces covers the forces of all the Commonwealth countries represented at the meeting. j The Prime Ministers will probably have their final discussion tomorrow during which they will receive reports from committees appointed to inquire into Commonwealth consultations and high commissioners' status.