ONE AUSTRALIAN ARMY

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23804, 25 November 1942, Page 2

ONE AUSTRALIAN ARMY

♦ , MR CURTIN’S MOVE LABOUR CONFERENCE , SURPRISE (0.C.) SYDNEY, November 18. The proposal to alter the Australian Labour Party’s policy to permit the merging of volunteer A.I.F. forces with militia forces, conscripted for defence of Australia and mandated territories only, came as. a surprise move at the inter-state Labour conference, sitting in Melbourne. After Labour came to power a year ago, it steadfastly and angrily refused to listen to arguments of Opposition members and the press favouring the merger, on the grounds that it was opposed to conscription. With the A.I.F. and militia fighting the same battle side by side in New Guinea, it was patent that an impossible position would arise when the Japanese had been forced back from immediate invasion points. That stage of the .ar seems to be fast approaching, but since security cannot be attained until the Japanese have been totally defeated, a division of the Australian forces at present fighting, or trained for fighting, would invite disaster. It was obvious that General Mac Arthur had to have complete powers over all his troops to determine the disposition necessary to continue the offensive against the enemy, and it was with such convincing arguments that the Prime Minister (Mr Curtin) went to the conference, not as leader ,of the Government, but as a delegate. The subject was not listed on the agenda, and Mr Curtin had to ask leave to introduce it. This was agreed to, with one dissentient. Labour Party Policy Labour's present policy is bound by decisions of the last Federal conference in June, 1940, It provided for maintaining national training for defence, under the Defence Act, on the highest basis of efficiency; complete participation in the Empire Air Training Scheme; and the necessary provision for reinforcements of the A.I.F. overseas. It declared that the extent of European participation by a volunteer army should be determined by circumstances as they arose, having regard to the paramount necessity of Australia’s defence, Mr Curtm adhered strictly to the platform in the face of consistent sniping by conscriptionists. He knew that any move to change the policy would split the party, as it had been split on previous occasions. With the political shrewdness for which he is noted, he bided his time. Recent developments m the Pacific, coinciding with the conference, presented him with the opportunity of calling for a revision of policy when argument was most strongly in its favour. No other man in the Labour movement could have hoped to bring th; matter up with a chance of having it approved, but the great influence he weilds, and the faith he has engendered in his followers in his infallibility for doing the right thing assured him of strong support, Mr Curtin risked embarrassment of his own position, and he may alienate the sympathies of a section of the party altogether, but having won over the majority of the conference delegates he would have no difficulty, with the assistance of Opposition party members, in having the Defence /ct amended when Parliament meets next month. , Mr Curtin made it clear that the change would be made only to permit Australian soldiers to be sent to defend areas in the Pacific, but the trend of the war indicates that Australia s part in the future may largely be confined to the Pacific conflict, even to the 'gates of Tokyo.