“ABUSE OF POWER”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20744, 20 April 1942, Page 3

“ABUSE OF POWER”

FEDERAL MINISTERS;. MR. FADDEN’S CRITICISM SOCIALISATION PLANS (10 a.m.) SYDNEY, April 20. A charge that a section of the Federal Cabinet was willing to abuse its war-time powers to introduce socialisation was made at Canberra by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. A. W. Fadden, who said that the position was so serious and the future so uncertain that a clear unequivocal statement by the Prime Minister, Mr. J. Curtin, of the Government’s policy was demanded. “Frequent public utterances by certain Federal Ministers, together with a statement which has not received publicity, have aroused widespread apprehension,” he said. “Putting it bluntly, the Australian commercial community, with its capital, taxation resources, and its enormous field of employment outside the scope of essential man-power requirements, is violently disturbed. “For some time past it has been apparent that a minority section of the Government has been indulging in a blatant attempt to use the national emergency to suit its own political ends. They have revealed themselves as men who are prepared to jeopardise the nation’s war effort in an endeavour to~ implement" sections of Labour’s policy which appeal to Their own particular supporters.”