AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY

Evening Star, Issue 25224, 11 July 1944, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY

NO POST-WAR CONSCRIPTION Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright CANBERRA, July 10. " As far as I am concerned, there will be no post-war industrial conscription," said the Australian Prime Minister, Mr J. Curtin- to-day. He added: " I wanted conscription in 1941 to 1942, when it was necessary to get the work and fighting done against a force that would have occupied this country if we had waited for it. But I see no reason why there should be compulsion of any kind in Australia when the war is ended."

Mr Curtin said this was a more unequivocal statement on his attitude to concription than that made by any Opposition spokesman. The threat of post-war industrial conscription had been a strong argument urged by the opponents of next month's wider powers referendum. Further, the Australian Government has made no secret of its intention to maintain a strong post-war navy, army, and air force, and Mr Curtin's declaration is accepted as indicating that the personnel for these forces will be voluntarily recruited.

Contingent upon an international authority being constituted to preserve world peace, Australia may place forces at that authority's disposal—but all such forces will comprise volunteers.