OPINIONS DIVIDED ON PARTY ADVANTAGE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 120, 23 May 1945, Page 5

OPINIONS DIVIDED ON PARTY ADVANTAGE

AUTUMN ELECTION.

Churchill Regrets Attlee's iv.jw,i ■ 1 -: Aspersions-.,., 3 British Official Wireless Rfec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, May 22. The Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill, has addressed the following letter to the Leader of.the Parliamentary •Labour party, Mr. Attlee:—"My dear Mr. Attlee, I am sorry to • receive your letter of May 21, in which you reject my proposal that . we Should work together until the defeat of Japan has been achieved. ■m t this letter you tell me that our only.' course is to prolong the present Coalition until a general election in October. This would mean that from now until October, outside the Government and, even within it, we should be continually .preparing for the election. We have already suffered several months of ithis electioneering atmosphere, which I am sure is already affecting . .administrative efficiency and might > jspon weaken the country and the world at the time, when .above all others it should be stronger. i, Economic Life Problems ''■.' 'PI agree that it is on problems of jthe economic life of the country that party differences are most acute. What is required, you say, is decisive action. This can only be forthcoming from a Government ~-which is united on principle and ipolicy. , I -agree . also with your .statement, 'My colleagues. and I do mot believe that it would be possible jtO: lay aside political controversy inow that the expectation of an Election has ■ ehgaged~the attention -of the country.' y "For my part I am sure that a Continuance of the uncertainty and agitation would be harmful to the whole process of the recovery of our trade and the changeover in indus-1 -try. It is not good for apy countryit is, impossible for any Coalition I—to live for so long a time under the (spell of an approaching general Least of all is this possible tin a world where events. are so , tumultuous and dangerous as now. | '-■■■ "Opinions are much divided as to .how party advantage may Jie between a June and an? October | election, and I regret the aspersions with which you have darkened this correspondence. I have concerned myself solely with trying to create tolerable conditions under which we could work together. It is clear 'from the tone of your letter and the feelings of your party that these no .longer exist and it is odd that you should accompany so many unjust allegations with the earnest request ;-that we should* go on bickering, together until the autumn. faucn a process would not be a decent way M carrying on a British Governiment.. I regret that you should ..speak of 'rushing' the election. Procedure Discussed In Detail ■"'Foreseeing what might arise at the close of the German war, we discussed, as you will remempei, the whole question of procedure in detail in the War Cabinet. The normal period between a dtooluflwi, and a poll is 17 days, and it was you and your colleagues who Prpposea that there should be an additional : , interval-of at least three weeks in view of the special circumstances prevailing. We gladly , acc t fP te^*ni- 1• reasonable request and the unani mous decision of the Cabinet was made known by you on J ?£uary H> ■ when you announced to the House , of Commons that the King had been , ■ graciously willing on this occasion. to announce hu intention to dis .! j solve Parliament at least tnree, weeks beforehand.", ~ j