MR. MENZIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 119, 22 May 1941, Page 10

MR. MENZIES

PROBLEMS TO BE FACED

NEED FOR INSPIRATION

CHANGES TAKE PLACE

(0.C.)

SYDNEY, May 20,

Australians have been forewarned by oversea correspondents that they will see a.change in their Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, when he arrives by Pan-American clipper at the weekend. On the other hand, Mr. Menzies will not fail to note a change in Australia since he left four months ago.

In appearance, Mr. Menzies is said to have lost some of his bulk, and grown sterner and more tight-lipped. He is credited with having conquered his moods of detached thinking and with being intolerant of hesitancy and inaction, all of which helps to conjure up a picture of a nation's leader. And Australia has long wanted a national leader. Mr. W. M. Hughes filled the role admirably in the last war and became an international figure. According to cabled reports from Britain and America, Mr. Menzies became an international figure before he had won complete confidence and unanimous support in his own country. He has the chance to do that now, provided, of course, that Labour does not win the by-election in Boothby (South Australia) next Saturday. WELL EQUIPPED. ! No Australian Prime Minister has' been better equipped to assume national leadership than Mr. Menzies. He has seen for himself the realities of war, had the confidence of British leaders and possibly those of ■ the United States of America. He has learned the lessons of failure in production and military organisations, pitfalls Australia has yet time to avoid. He has only to apply this great exclusive knowledge to Australia's problems to attatin a maximum war effort—the heartfelt desire of all sections of the people. It is in this wish for maximum effort and in the dissatisfaction of its non-fulfilment that Mr. Menzies will note changes in Australian temper. The political sphere has altered. There is a stronger desire on the part of Labour to take office and a more critical attitude towards the Government. Despite a heartening survey by the Acting Prime Minister, Mr. Fadden, of what has been achieved in munitions production, there is a feeling that it could have been greater, that personal and State considerations have been allowed to intrude detrimentally, and that red-tape has contributed provocatively to an unnecessary slack. AIR-RAID PRECAUTIONS. Mr. Menzies will also have to face a charge that the Commonwealth Government has dallied with air-raid precautions, and will need to give a. lead to the State Governments, who have become exasperated to the point of bitterness because pleas for co-operation have been ignored. It will be up to Mr. Menzies to say "Forget air-raid shelters, we will never need them," or launch a vigorous programme to establish a scientific and properly organised system of protection that will stifle criticism.- TherState. authorities have long been promised a conference with the Federal Government to formulate such a scheme, but have been repeatedly side-tracked. Mr. Fadden states that the promised conference will be called immediately on Mr. Menzies's return. After his experiences in England, Mr. Menzies should be able to submit a comprehensive scheme, and perhaps such a scheme will be used by him as a spectacular and forceful personal reintroduction to the immediate problems of the country. ARMY PROBLEMS. Army administration is another matter that Mr. Menzies will need to overhaul. There is considerable criticism of recruiting organisation, whose short- j comings are reflected in the present campaign. Home defence, too, is not proceeding as rapidly as many consider it should. There are thousands desirous of offering for national service, but find the scope is tbo limited, to their exclusion.

Whatever, he finds lacking in his own country, Mr. Menzies should see it does not arise from \he apathy of the people. They have borne increased taxation without a murmur, and are braced to stand further burdens. They oversubscribed the latest defence and war works loans, and have uncomplainingly shouldered other financial hardships. With his eyes opened, Mr. Menzies should be aware that the people want only an inspiring leader and a genius to direct their collective strength. He will disappoint them if he does not prove to be both.