DRAMATIC ORDER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 44, 21 February 1942, Page 8

DRAMATIC ORDER

MR. CURTIN'S MOVE

ALL RESOURCES

AND EVERY PERSON

(0.C.) SYDNEY, February 18. Australia has been called on to make sacrifices undreamed of a few months ago. By his general mobilisation order of man-power, money, and material, the Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, has stripped the nation for action.

What the general mobilisation order means and when it. will. be translated into action have not been revealed, but the fall of Singapore and the pending invasion .of Java have thrown the Australian people into a mood of ( acquiescence to any demands their leadei-s may make. . Not that there is any show of panic. Faces in the streets are grave, resolute, calm, and much of the casualness that marked the life of Australians has vanished.-

"Every human being in this country is now, whether he or ; she likes it, at the service of the Government to work in the defence of Australia," said Mr. Curtin, in a dramatic, speech at the opening of the new £35,000,000 Liberty' War Loan. ' Those words were acclaimed everywhere. They gave the lead the people had -been waiting for. "■•'•. The mobilisation order dovetails neatly into the economic plan announced by Mr. Curtin last week. Conservative journals in England described the plan as "political rather than economic," but few in Australia viewed ■it in that light. Certainly, in principle, it marked an advance towards socialism and in practice followed Labour's economic text-book, but its aim was recognised as securing the maximum war effort in the shortest possible time. THE PEGGING POLICY. Unions protested at the pegging of wages (subject to living-costs variations),. outlawing of strikes and absenteeism, control of transfers in reserved occupations,' but accepted the plan as a whole. - The pegging at 4 per cent, on shareholders' funds after payment of taxes and the prohibition of investments without Government permission took the breath from the Stock Exchanges at first, but later the market was active at a new low level as holders sought to liquidate shares before the free market closed. There were plenty interested in solid industrials, however, at the adjusted levels conforming to the new 4 per cent, basis. ■ It may be another five weeks before the plan is implemented, and until the regulations have been gazetted it is impossible to say what its effect may be. However, it is certain to throw a lot'of people out of gear and cause temporary unemployment and hardship. Fresh army call-ups, and drastic revision of the reserved' occupation list will take many men from high-wage jobs and make them 6s-a-day soldiers. ALL TO REGISTER. Registration of British subjects will make easier the task of the Labour Minister, Mr. Ward, of switching workers to essential war industries, facilitate evacuation if necessary, and simplify rationing of foods and clothing which may be expected before the war closes. The people must expect shortly to do without many things they have accepted as everyday necessities. For instance, there are thousands of girls employed in sweets factories, work no more exacting than dipping chocolates. Men skilled in making household articles would soon become skilled at munition benches.

As non-essential industries close down under the economic pressure of the new regulations, , dismissed employees will seek fresh employment at National Service Bureaux, set up in every district by Mr. Ward. How quickly they can be absorbed will depend upon the capacity of war plants and efficiency of the organisations.

Backing Mr. Curtin in this economic revolution is the enigmatic Treasurer, Mr. Ben Chifley. ■ Shy. and retiring, he is one of,the most popular Ministers among the rank and-file. A poor speaker, with a thin, nasal voice, he realises his shortcoming in this direction as few of his Labour confreres do. He seldom speaks at an interview, even on urgent national matters, but listens, nods, and puffs his pipe. Then he goes away and does what he thinks best, generally untouched by the arguments that have been thrust at him. . He has two characteristics that have never been questioned—his unswerving loyalty to Mr. Curtin and his intense patriotism.