GETTING TO GRIPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 April 1942, Page 3

GETTING TO GRIPS

WITH WAR PROBLEMS IN PACIFIC LATEST COUNCIL MEETING IN WASHINGTON. SATISFACTION EXPRESSED BY DELEGATES. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) WASHINGTON, April 7. The Pacific War Council met in the White House for an hour and a half today. The lease-lend director, Mr Harry Hopkins, was absent, and Mr Leighton McCarthy represented Canada; otherwise the personnel was the same as last week. Lord Halifax, the British Ambassador, who was the first to leave, said that President Roosevelt presented a very encouraging review of the reinforcements both in men and material, which the United States had sent to various points in the Pacific, and there had been a great deal of talk about the allocation of munitions and the principles concerning its distribution. The New Zealand member, Mr Nash, said that everything was going excellently, and he did not know a council or meeting that was doing a better job than they were doing so far. Dr. Soong, the Chinese member, said that the picture in the Pacific was encouraging from the Chinese point of view. Mr McCarthy said that the meeting discussed the general war situation as it affected all countries, including Canada, and he added that Mr Mackenzie King will be going to Washington to attend sessions of the council if possible. Dr. Evatt, the Australian representative, remained after the meeting, and then went to the White House residence for a luncheon which President and Mrs Roosevelt gave him and his wife. Dr. Evatt is going to Canada, and will return to Washington for the next meeting of the council on April 14. Dr. Evatt told the Press that the second meeting of the council fulfilled the promise of the first. “We are gradually getting to grips with the supply and munitions problem, so that they may be treated on the basis of assignment to theatres of war rather than to governments.” he said. “This will enable important but subordinate matters such as shipping, munitions supplies, and raw materials to be related continuously to the assessed strategic requirements of each and every theatre of war.” It was explained that the new system is important, because it will put power in the hands of the strategic leaders and the joint staffs, who will allocate a proportion of all the munitions and ships available to certain areas, such as the Pacific, Middle East, and Russia, and everything then automatically goes in proportion, keeping the whole distribution free of political pressure.

The military men will decide all crucial questions. It is known that the military chiefs in Washington have placed the Pacific in an exalted position in their appraisals, and therefore the new method is undoubtedly eminently satisfactory for Australia.