I am very grateful for your kind invitation [1] to visit
Washington and to stay with Mrs. Roosevelt and yourself at the
White House. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to be
able to accept it.

2. Mr. Churchill has been in touch with me about a meeting of
Prime Ministers this year and, if this eventuates, I would be
delighted to visit you on my way to London. We could then discuss
those matters relating to the Pacific area in which we have such
mutual and common interests.

3. Thank you for your kind remarks about Australia's war effort.

We are stretched to the utmost, and, as the demands on our
manpower and material resources exceed our capacity, the constant
problem confronting the Government is to determine the precise
limits of what we are capable of doing in the field and in the
various avenues of services and supplies. Our great anxiety is to
help General MacArthur to the utmost, both in respect of our own
military effort and the aid which we can give to the United States
Forces in the Southwest and South Pacific Areas.

4. Your good wishes for the New Year are heartily reciprocated,
and I trust that, at the end of 1944, we shall be well on the way
to final victory.

With kindest regards to Mrs. Roosevelt and yourself.

JOHN CURTIN