PARTY TACTICS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 38, 25 November 1940, Page 6

PARTY TACTICS

POLITICS IN AUSTRALIA.

EX-SERVICEMEN’S OPINION.

SEVERE CRITICISM VOICED

(United Press Association—Copyright.) CANBERRA, November 23.

At the Federal Congress of the Returned .Sailors and Soldiers’ League, severe criticism *of the Federal political parties was indulged in.

The president ,Mr L. A. Robb) said: “If avo cannot gel a National Government in which the parties will work together for the national good, we would be better to have a dictator Prime Minister, who would have the returned soldiers behind him ”

A South Australian delegate, Mr W. D. Sharland, declared that he was disgusted and amazed at the way in which the Commonwealth Parliament was acting. “If this is the best that democracy can manage, the sooner we have a dictator the better,” he added. Mr Robb said: “Every individual member of Parliament should ho compelled to take the oath of allegiance separately. There is ( one man in the House to whom this remark applies, and I call upon him to take notice. How do we expect the job of winning the war to be carried on by such follows? When the soldiers overseas return they will he so fed-up with the political situation that they will take, over the Government, and when they do, we soldiers of the last war will say 1 God bless you! We. .will stand oy your side.’ ” Later Mr Robb said lie had been Avrongly reported.

“Many of the statements attributed to me Avore not uttered by me at all,” be said, “and the whole matter generally was the subject of definite misrepresentation.”

The statements attributed to Mr Robb caused surprise ini State Ministerial circles because, as Secretary to the Governor, Mr Robb is a. State public servant.

Speaking in the House of Representatives at Canberra, a Labour member, Mr Ward, described as fifth columnists three speakers at the annual conference of the Returned Sailors’ and Soldiers’ League. He urged the Government to take action under the National Security Regulations against Mr Robb and also against Messrs Sharland and H. S. Marshall, of Victoria.