LONDON MEETING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20098, 18 November 1939, Page 5

LONDON MEETING

REVIEW OF PLANS WIDE COLLABORATION EFFICIENT OPERATIONS BENEFIT OF EXPERIENCE UNITY FROM OUTSET (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. noon. RUGBY, Nov. 17. A meeting of the Supreme War Council was held in London to-day attended by M. Daladier, Marshal Gamelin, General Darlan, M. Vuillemin, for France, and Mr. Neville Chamberlain, Viscount Halifax, the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence, Lord Chatfield, and the Air Secretary, Sir Kingsley Wood, for Britain.

The council passed in review the military situation and its possible further development. Complete agreement was reached on the best method for the combined employment of the French and British forces for the most effective conduct of operations.

I A joint statement issued by the British and French Prime Ministers says: "With a view to making full use of the experience gained in the years 1914—1918, the British and French Governments decided from the outset iof the war to co-ordinate in the fullest possible manner the economic wai ell'ort of the two countries. Immediate steps were taken at the outbreak of the war with this object. Arrangements Strengthened "In pursuance of the decisions reached by Mr. Chamberlain and M. Daladier at the last meeting of the supreme War Council, arrangements already put into effect by the two Jovernments now have been strengthened and completed in such ways as io ensure common action in the following fields—the air, munitions and .■aw materials, oil, food, shipping, and economic warfare.

"The new measures adopted by the iwo Governments will provide for the best use in the common interest of the resources of both countries in raw materials, means of production, tonnage, and so on. They will also provide for an equal distribution between them of any limitations should circumstances render necessary a reduction of programmes of the imports. The two countries will, in future, draw up their import programmes jointly, <md will avoid competition in purchases which they have to make abroad in carrying out those programmes. Permanent Committees "The execution of these tasks has been entrusted to permanent AngloFrench executive committees and under the Anglo-French co-ordinating committee which is being set up immediately. The agreements reached can, if required, be extended to other fields. They afford further evidence of the determination of the two countries to co-ordinate their war efforts to the fullest possible extent.

"By this means arrangements have been carried into effect two months after the beginning of hostilities for the organisation of common action by the two countries, which was only achieved during the last conflict at the end of the third year."