BULWARK FOR FREEDOM

Chronicle (Levin), 2 November 1949, Page 5

BULWARK FOR FREEDOM

'N.Z.P.A'

.^r- Reuter .

1 I Atlantjc Pact Group Makes Defence Plans

CoyyriQht >

Received "Wecfiiesday, 9.30. a.m. LONDON, .-Nov. 1. The chiefs of .staff of Britain, Denmark and Norway — the North European group of the At^antic Pact — today completed their first conference. A British official said that the chiefs of staff had left to the group 's psrmanent staff offlcers' committee the work to be done on the planning of the defence of the three countries. This committee would probably start informal meetings forthwith. At the first meeting in London of the North Atlantic Military Production and Supply Board, set up by the Defence Ministers of the Atlantic Pact, Mr. T. E. Hallaby, director of the Office of Foreign Military Affairs in the United States Defence Departnnent, said they were starting the work of bringing together -the munitions powers of the 12 great democraci-es. They were building an arsenal for the democracies, a bulwark for freedom. Mr. Hallaby said that this munitions partnership must exist within the framework of successful econo'mic recovery "beeause we all real- , ise that our safety lies not in munitions alone, but in strong and stable economies and societies which are capable of producing what is required for defence." They had the opportunity to prove that the West was not at bay and could co-operate to produce and supply a 1 the necessary forces for freedom.