Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1941. THE WAR CABINET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 69, 2 January 1941, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1941. THE WAR CABINET.

Mr Holland Is not the only person surprised at the Prime Minister s broadcast statement on the personnel of the War Cabinet. We say, Prime Minister designedly, because we give Mr Fraser personally credit for a wicHr vision and more reasonableness, and believe that he is forced to voice such views at the dictation of the Party machine that has such a hold on Labour policy and administration. “It is obvious that if the War Cabinet is to continue as a national institution for the purpose of directing the nation’s war effort, both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition must be members of it, otherwise it fails as a united, national, effective administrative body, or even as evidence of that national unity in the war effort which all desire,” Mr Fraser* said. He mentioned that Mr Adam Hamilton, then Leader of the Opposition, joined the War Cabinet in July, but he did not say that when the National Party leadership was changed one of the factors .governing the position was that it had been proved impracticable to discharge the dual functions in the efficient manner required by the country. So long as the Labour Party maintains its present attitude, that domestic legislation of a highly-contentious nature shall be brought before the House, so long will it be necessary for the critics to have an efficient official head, untrammelled by any considerations of relationship with Ministers in another capacity. The “Guardian” is in complete agreement with the contention that both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition should be members of the War Cabinet, but this is possible only if the work of Parliament is confined to matters directly associated with the war effort, party being abolished for the time being. In the last war Mr Massey, whose sturdy Imperialism should be an inspiration and an example to the present Government, dropped all internal policy, concentrating on the prosecution of the war ,with the aid of the pick of the brains in the House, irrespective of party. The present conflict is even more vital than the previous war, and if New Zealand is to take that part in the general task that should be hers if tradition is maintained, the example of a quarter of a century ago should be followed without delay. ' /