GOING TO WAR ZONE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 76, 26 September 1942, Page 7

GOING TO WAR ZONE

AUSTRALIAN ARMY

MINISTER

(Rec 10 a.m.) CANBERRA, Sept. 25 The Australian Government has the utmost confidence in General Mac Arthur and General Blarney, declared the Army Minister, Mr. F. M. Forde, when revealing that he would visit the New Guinea jattle area. The Minister was replying in the blouse of Representatives to heated criticism of the leadership of the Australian Army. Expressing the opinion that the criticism levelled at the Army leadership was subversive and would give the impression that the troops in the Islands were commanded by "nitwits," Mr. Forde said the Government was proud of its Army leaders.

Referring to the reorganisation of the Allied Forces in the South-west Pacific, the Minister said the master stroke had been the appointment of "the greatest military man who had ever donned a uniform," General Douglas Mac Arthur, to this comrriand That appointment, had inspired the whole people of the democracies.

FAILURE TO GO CRITICISED

"I am proud, too, of the appointment of General Blarney as Commander-in-Chief of the Allied land forces," said the Minister. "He is working in the closest co-operation with General Mac Arthur."

During the past few days a barrage of criticism has been hurled at the Service Ministers for their failure to visit New Guinea. The attitude of the critics is epitomised by Mr. Abbott, M.H.R., who said: "There is something wrong somewhere to cause our men—the salt of earth, acknowledged the bravest of the brave—to fall back before the Japanese."

Mr. Forde will visit Port Moresby, Darwin, and other battle areas of the South-west Pacific war theatres. He told the House the Government's confidence in the military leaders was reciprocated. "We will not be stampeded into making scapegoats of military leaders for the shortcomings" of our defence, the blame for which should be laid at the door of the previous Administration, not upon General Mac Arthur or General Blarney."

He declared the critics of the military chiefs were undermining the morale of the fighting men and the people of Australia. ■ There had been a regrettable tendency to "knock" the military leaders in Australia. These men had under them the finest fighting force ever assembled in the southern hemisphere.

FAITH IN LEADERS

"We have implicit faith in these military leaders, and we are proud of them," he said.

"Members of this' House who have poured torrents of abuse on the Army Minister and on the Army, its discipline, and its commanders, just can't take it," declared the Victorian Independent, Mr. J. Coles. "Their outbursts are activated by the fear of setbacks in New Guinea. Members of this House should set an example to the people of Australia."

Some of the' critical statements referred to included: "It is madness to send raw youths from Sydney and Melbourne to tropical jungles." "The people have been lulled into a false sense of security because of the' extraordinarily optimistic statements." "In the early days of the New Guinea fighting our troops were untrained Each man should have at least six months' training before being sent into battle."