POLITICAL CRISIS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20638, 19 August 1941, Page 5

POLITICAL CRISIS

AUSTRALIA ON EDGE PREMIER’S PROPOSED TRIP LABOUR OPPOSITION (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Preaa Aaan.) (Reed. Aug. 19, 10 a.m.) SYDNEY, Aug. 19. Australia stands on the edge of political turmoil, with the proposed trip to London by the Prime Minister,. Mr. R. G. Menzies, as the storm centre, says The Sun. - The paper adds that the situation is loaded with unpleasant possibilities for the Prime Minister, the Opposition leader, Mr. J. Curtin, and the Menzies Government. Fellow Ministers have told their leader that the rejection by Parliament on Wednesday of his proposal to visit London will be re-’ garded as a major defeat for the'Government and a terrific blow to its prestige. Three Labour members of the War Council. Mr. Ford, Mr. J. Beasley, and Dr. H. V. Evatt, continue firm in their stand that Mr. Menzies should not receive Labour’s approval to leaving Australia. i. : , Mr. Curtin’s leadership will most assuredly be at stake if he persists in supporting Mr. Menzies’ departure and also afford encouragement to those members of his party who consider that he is not sufficiently ’ virile and who may try to displace him in the event of Labour being called upon to form a Government, Sir Earle Page yesterday declared that if Parliament rejected the proposal it would cause a political crisis and an election. He condemned the wrangling by Labour members. Dr. Evatt, returned to the picture to-day. He said that Sir Earle Page’s statement was so party political in spirit and object that he might have some difficulty explaining his part in "the political manoeuvre.” Nor would it be Sir Earle Page’s task to determine whether or not there should be an election. There was no reason whatever why an'alternative Government should not be created. Dr. Evatt accused the Government of having exaggerated the dangers of war in the Far East.

Mr. Menzies, in Melbourne, replied to Dr. Evatt. He denied the allegations of political manoeuvring and said the proposal he should go to London was initiated by his Ministerial colleagues for reasons with which Mr. Curtin was fully acquainted as he was with the gravity of the position in the Far East.