CONSCRIPTION ISSUE

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23812, 4 December 1942, Page 3

CONSCRIPTION ISSUE

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY CRISIS

(0.C.) SYDNEY, November 24. Australia’s Prime Minister (Mr J. Curtin) detests gambling, yet he staked the future of the Government, the unity of the Labour Party, and his own political career on the proposal to merge the A.I.F. and Militia forces at the party’s conference in Melbourne last week.

Only the greatest urgency and the highest motives could have moved Mr Curtin to take such a step, and realisation of these two factors by the majority of the party, and their unquenchable faith, now almost a legend, that "Curtin is never wrong,” may win him the day. That the conference did not take the responsibility of accepting the motion instead of referring it back to the state executives was a disappointment to Mr Curtin. He blasted the delegates with all the rhetoric at his command, hammered facts into them, bullied and pleaded until he sat down exhausted and limp. It seemed certain then that he had won.

Unfortunately, he had brought up the matter in the afternoon, and discussion dragged over into the next day. The 12 hours’ break raised apprehension in the minds of the delegates and allowed them to realise the tremendous responsibility that had been thrust on them without warning. Anti-Curtin elements, led by a Victorian M.P., Mr Arthur Calwell, fed the doubts plaguing the delegates. To protect themselves they adjourned the conference to January 4. Mr Curtin, always despondent immediately after a reverse, left the conference nervy and disgruntled. The adjournment threw the question into the melting pot of party politics, and control moved away from Mr Curtin’s immediate influence. He retrieved the position somewhat by calling a full Cabinet meeting, where he received the support of the majority of the members. Three who declared themselves against the merger were the Aircraft Production Minister (Senator Cameron), the Minister of Health (Mr Hollaway). and the Minister of Labour and National Service (Mr Ward). Possible Reactions

State executives have given no indication of their attitude, and speculation is rife as to how the states will react. South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania are expected to support the merger. The other states may refer the question to full A.L.P. conferences. If the voting is equal the proposal will be rejected.

In the meantime, great pressure is being exerted on delegates by factions for and against the merger. The former New South Wales Labour Premier. Mr John Lang, who is seeking pre-selec-tion in the Federal electorate of Reid, leads the New South Wales opposition group. He still exerts considerable influence in this state, and he will be strengthened by the return to his camp of Mr Ward. He will also attract the support of die-hard Labour "reactionaries” who remember with dismay the 1916-17 conscription issue, which split the party for two decades. It is rather ironical that Mr Curtin’s stoutest supporters are the militant unions. Although they have no representation in the councils of the party, they have considerable influence in some quarters of the political movement. The present crisis in the party has been compared with that of 1916-17. but the issues are different. Then, the war was far from Australia. To-day, war is on Australia’s threshold. The World War Prime Minister, Mr W. M. Hughes, sought conscription to reinforce the A.I.F. in France and the Middle East. Mr Curtin defines the activities of Australian troops to an area in the southwest Pacific. Mr Hughes lost the conscription referendum and left the Labour Party a shattered remnant. He won fame as a war-time leader, but if Mr Curtin loses on his plea for a change of policy, he will not lead a break-away party, preferring resignation. The United Australia Party and the Country Party view the disruption in the Labour Party with considerable satisfaction. Parliament meets on December 10. affording them _ an ; opportunity of ventilating the whole question of conscription, which they have urged since Japan entered the war Mr A. W. Coles, one of the Independents, by whose grace Labour governs, would be awkwardly placed if the Opposition moved a censure motion. He was selected as a supporter of conscription, but he could keep faith with his electors by deferring a decision until after' the A.L.P. conference has met on January 4. One of the strongest arguments supporting Mr Curtin is the desire of the militia personnel to transfer voluntarily to the A.I.F. In practically every unit, the majority of the militia have applied for a transfer, and in battle areas the applications have been between 90 and 100 per cent.