ALLIED ACCORD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 November 1939, Page 3

ALLIED ACCORD

APPOINTMENT' OF SUPREME AIR COMMANDER ONLY AWAITING CHOICE OF BEST MAN. RAPID PROGRESS IN PLANS ’ I FOR UNITED ACTION. ] .. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. I LONDON. November 19. It is understood that the formation of a unified Allied air command, under 1 a British officer with a status similar to that of the Commander-in-Chief of •; the Allied Armies. Marshal Gamelin, ] only awaits the choice of the best man for the post. This is the outcome of Friday's meeting of the Supreme War Council. A British Official Wireless message . reports that the meeting was held in t London. It was attended by the fol- ? lowing: For France. —The Prime Minister, *M. 5 Daladier; Marshal Gamelin: the Chief . of the Naval General Staff. Admiral . Darlan: and Air Marshal Vuillemin. For Britain. —The Prime Minister. Mi - Chamberlain: the Foreign Minister. Lord Halifax; the Defence Minister, Lord Chatfield: the Air Secretary. Sir Kingley Wood. COMPLETE AGREEMENT. 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. A joint, statement issued by the British and French Prime Minister says: — "With a view to making full use of the. experience gained in the years 1914-18. the British and French Governments decided from the outset of the war to co-ordinate in the fullest possible manner the ■ economic war effort of the two countries. Immediate steps were taken at the outbreak of ; the war with this object. In pursui ance of decisions reached by Mr ; Chamberlain and M Daladier at. the ■ last meeting of the Supreme War Council, the arrangements which had already been put into effect by the two Governments have now been strengthened and completed in such ■ ways as to ensure common action in ■ the following fields —air. munitions and raw materials, oil. food, shipping and economic warfare. POOLING RESOURCES. “The new measures adopted by the two Governments will provide for the best use in the common interest of 1 the resources of both countries in raw materials, means of production, tonnage. and so on. They will also provide for equal distribution, between them of any limitations, should circumstances render necessary reduction ■ of the programmes of imports. "The two countries will in future draw up their import programmes jointly and will avoid competition in I purchases which they have to make | abroad in carrying out those program- > mes. "Tiie execution of these tasks has been entrusted to permanent AngloI French executive committees, which I are being set up immediately. 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 lliis means arrangements have 1 been carried into effect two months j after the beginning of hostilities for the organisation of common action by | the two countries which was only I achieved during the last conflict at the j end of the third year."