ONE BIG FIGHTING MACHINE

Chronicle (Levin), 15 January 1949, Page 5

ONE BIG FIGHTING MACHINE

(N.Z.P.A.—

Reuter .

„ * , - 1 Monty To Direct Bigger Armies Than In War

, covpright)

£ t Reeeive Friday, 7,50 p.pi. • ■ LONDON, January 14. Cooperation between the five Brussels Pact nations is taking form well ahead of schedule, says the News-Chr-onicle eorrespondent; writing from Fontaiiibleau. It is largely due, he continues, to Ihe unexpected speed with which the representatives of the three separate serviees of the five countries have merged themselves into oue 'great planning- maehine. Overseeing this "workshop of "Western- defenee" is Lord Mpntgomery who is now planning to direet armies bigger than he did at any time during the last war, The problems under discussion, the eorrespondent continues, include the standardisation of wcapons and equipment, standardisation of signals and comniunications, of road transport vehieles, specinlisation liy particular oountries in particular armament eonslruction — and looming over everything else, the ereation of a common sti'ategy. Langnagc difficulties in connection wtih air forces was oue problein l'aced. Tliev were solved by the introduction of a uniform oode system so tliat ground coutrollers of any nationality could talk to pilots whether they were British, French', Belgian or Dutch. A similar code language is being developed for warships of the AVeslern Fnion navies. "When this is perfected ships, including hattleships, aircraftcarriers, and sulnnarines of the British, French and Dutch navies, will take part in coinbined exercises. Naval coordination, the eorrespondent says, between the "Western Powers is already ahead of tliat in the other two serviees. and the outstanding feature about Fontaiiibleau is the realisation of the value of cotnbined rafher than individual operations by the three serviees. ' "There is another point important in a different way," concludes the eorrespondent. "Jt is tliat an entirelv new niental approach and attitude between the Western armed forces, based Dii mutual trust aPd sincerity. has developed out of the babel of tongues in tliis new nei've centre of Western European defenee. Renter's Brussels eorrespondent says the Defenee Ministers of the five Brussels Pact Powers — Britain, France, Belg'ium. Holland and Buxenibourg — met today for secret talks. American and Canadian observers attended the meeting. The conference. it was reliablv understood. will cover: Firstly, a review of the Western Fnion Defenee schenie as affeeted by the proposed No.rth Atlantie. Pact; secondly, supply of British jet aircral't to other union countries; thirdly, further standardisation of arms. equipment and training methods. .