REQUEST TO MR. MENZIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 38, 13 August 1941, Page 7

REQUEST TO MR. MENZIES

AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT TO MEET

(By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 9 a.m.) SYDNEY, August 12. After continuing its meeting today, the Federal Cabinet asked the Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Menzies, to go to London again as soon as possible. Mr. Menzies made the following statement: "Cabinet has decided to arrange for the summoning of Parliament on August 20, when statements will be made on the Far East situation, and, if possible, a private session will be held to permit frank discussion of the whole matter. " Questions* of . great moment have been before Cabinet, and are naturally the subject of exchanges with various Empire Governments. We feel that Parliament should, as far as possible, be acquainted with their background and implications.

The public will realise that while the present state of international tension continues, decisions on policy have to be made. Sometimes these are of a far-reaching kind. "I should also add that recent events have given rise to further discussion of the desirability of Ministerial representation in London, where decisions of great importance to Empire policy and strategy inevitably are made, and where the powers and functions of the ablest High Commissioners are necessarily somewhat circumscribed. "Cabinet has, in fact, requested me to proceed to London again,as soon as possible. In the present political and international circumstances there are difficulties about such a course, though they may not be insuperable, I therefore feel it would not be right for me to accede to this request without the frankest discussion by all parties in Parliament. "It is imperative that whoever goes should have the real backing of Parlia- j ment. I would further point out that! whoever goes, the ' administration of Australia's war effort will continue to be conducted in Australia, and therefore no delays will be occasioned by the absence of one man, who will, in any event, need to devote the whole of his energies to his overseas work and responsibilities. "Mr. Curtin has been good enough to confer with me on these matters during the day. He completely agrees that the early summoning of Parliament is the correct course."