NEW USE FOR WARSHIPS

Evening Star, Issue 15478, 28 April 1914, Page 9

NEW USE FOR WARSHIPS

AN EX-FEDERAL MINISTER’S SCHEME. Mr King O’Malley, M.P., is on© of the “characters” of New South Wales politics. Asked ,by a ‘ Telegraph ’ reporter what he thought of the suggestion by the Minister of Defence, Senator Milieu, that there -should be a conference between the Imperial and Commonwealth authorities to ascertain exactly where Australia stood with its new navy programme, the ex-Ministor for Home Affairs made a novel suggestion. “ What I say, brother, about the warship Australia is that the guns should he taken off if." What good would she be then? Why, I say, convert her into a floating exhibition. Fill her with Australian produce, and send her to the Panama Exhibition on a mission of peace. Wo would thus show that we are a feeding, not a killing, nation. It would bo a splendid advertisement for our produce—our carcasses and our grain—brother. “Defence,” added the cx-Minister, as his two thumbs went into his waistcoast armholes and his chest measurement visibly took on several inches, “ Why, the United States will be behind Australia every time there is trouble. Didn’t you notice, brother, what Roosevelt says in his autobiography? He says what I say. You remember that letter I sent Roosevelt ? That started the thing. My letter is schedule 14 in the biography. And there is Roosevelt’s reply to my letter. Oh, yes, take my word for it, the American nation will be behind Australia every time.” Mr O’Malley does not call it war. He has a vernacular expression for it. He, however, calls peace- “ peace % “ It seems to me, brother,” he added putting both hands with affectionate emphasis on the shoulders of ms interviewer, “that wo are spending sc much preparing for ‘ stoush that when ‘ stoush ’ comes we will have used up pretty well all our resources, ana won’t have anything left to ‘ stoush the other fellow with.” . . “ I hope you’ve got the right hang of it all now, brother,” concluded the effervescent Mr King 0 Malloy, as he boarded the morning car and smiungij disappeared into its interior.