CRITIC REBUKED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 255, 28 October 1942, Page 3

CRITIC REBUKED

AMERICAN WRITER Spirited Reply By Australian Minister United Press Association—Copyright SYDNEY, Oct. 27. "Never on any occasion hag the Australian Government interfered in any way with General Mac Arthur's supreme command," said the Australian Attorney-General, Dr. H. V. Evatt, in a spirited reply to Hanson Baldwin's statement yesterday in the New York Times. Baldwin complained that the Australian War Cabinet and War Council had hampered General MacArthur, that Australian workmen were not pulling their weight, and that what had been done in Australia was entirely due to the United States.

"Baldwin's Labour-baiting comments on the Australian war effort are inaccurate and intemperate," said Dr. Evatt. He never visited Australia. His sources of information are second-hand and seem to be confined to persons who, having failed in Australia, have returned to America and to one or two Australian newspapers fast becoming notorious for belittling everything the Curtin Government has done.

Prejudice Mac Arthur's Task

"Xo responsible authority who knows all the facts would concur in Baldwin's criticisms, which are calculated to prejudice the already difficult task of General Mac Arthur's supreme command. By almost common consent the war effort of the Australian people has been greatly accelerated and intensified by the Curtin Government during the past 12 months. To call this Government complacent is a false and reckless assertion.

"Baldwin refers inaccurately:' to General Mac Arthur. He is in supreme command and never on any occasion whatever has Jie been subjected to any direction or control from the War Cabinet or the War Council in respect to military, naval and ailmatters. The almost miraculous development in our construction of runways and roads is due entirely to Australian workers under Australian direction.

"Admittedly difficulties have occurred in stevedoring and shipping, but these have been grossly exaggerated. On the whole the workers have done splendidly. This belittling of Australia displays gross ingratitude. Australia is most grateful to the United States for all that has been done, although Britain has also helped us greatly. But the United States will be equally grateful for what this country has done in the cause of the United Nations—in nearly every theatre of war. It is a great pity that a few American writers tend to impair the suiidarity between the United States and tnc Australian fighting forces, which ;so evident in Australia and Guinea."