SCOPE OF BILL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 35, 11 February 1943, Page 5

SCOPE OF BILL

PURPOSE EXPLAINED Volunteer Force Available To Serve Anywhere (P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day. "The debate on the Militia Bill, which recently took place in the Commonwealth has given rise to some misunderstanding," said the Australian Trade Commissioner, Mr. J. L. Menzies, in a statement to the Press. "The suggestion that the Militia Bill debate is to determine the extent to which Australia will fight the war is entirely out of perspective. The kernel of the debate is whether the militia units under General Mac Arthur's command will be able to serve anywhere in the same way as the A.I.F. units under the same command.

"The issue is not whether Australian troops can serve anywhere in the world. Australia has already enlisted forces of more than 380,000, who volunteered for service anywhere required. The volunteer forces which have been raised in Australia are equivalent, in relation to population, to two and a half millions British or seven and a quarter millions American. It is unthinkable that at any stage of the war Australia, with 3,000,000 square miles and 28,000 miles of coastline to defend, could send more than this number outside its own continental borders. The issue is therefore not whether Australians can participate to their full capacity in any fighting outside Australia itself,, but merely whether the conscripted militia, which has been called up to supplement the A.1.F., can be placed under General Mac Arthur's control, with full freedom of action within his command.

Mr. Curtin's Assurance "The official Opposition in Parliament recognises this position, and the Leader of the Opposition; in a speech, accepted the Prime Minister's assurance that the scope of the bill provided for all General Mac Arthur's strategic requirements, and for that reason the Leader of the Opposition indicated that his party would support the bill. "It Is felt in Australia that much of the Press comment on this issue is unreal and ungenerous, in view of the fact that the fighting forces' personnel exceeds 10 per cent of tne population and includes one in e J two males between the ages 01 io and 45 in the country. . . "It is important to reahse that Australia, in addition to raising fighting forces exceeding 750,000 nas ess®®®? Soms 68 per SiETn ing in the war industries.