AUSTRALIA’S FATE

Grey River Argus, 7 October 1942, Page 5

AUSTRALIA’S FATE

UNDER LABOUR Saved from Invasion DR. EVATT’S SPEECH- ■ [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec. 12.50. X SYDNEY, October 6. Everything is subordinated to the job of holding back the invader from our sacred shores,” said the Federal Attorney-General, Dr. Evatt. in a speech to-night, when he reviewed the Labour Government’s achievements during the last twelve months. From the first, he said, the Curtin Government had concentrated specially on the organising of tne country's resources on the Pacific battlefroht. and Mr Curtin had insisted that th? geographical and the strategic considerations should result in the United Stated taking over the primary responsibility for the whole Pacific theatre of war. “There was nothing anti-British in that,” Dr. Evatt said. “Rather it was a realistic approach, and it has proved to be of incalculable value b’oth to Britain and to Australia, above all. Australia’s relationship with Britain is such to-dav that it was never more friendly, and never more intimate.”

“The improvement regarding supplies during the year had been very great indeed,” he said. "The number of tanks successfully brought to Australia had been multiplied one hundredfold since February, when the outlook for Australia was very black. A similar improvement marked the position with regard to modern fighter aeroplanes. “The fact was,” said Dr. Evatt, "that the equipment obtained by Australia from the United States and from Britain had, when added to Australia’s own production, helped to save Australia from a Japanese invasion. The Government belieyed that, although far more attention was now being paid to the Pacific fronts than had seemed possible six months ago, there still was a tendency in powerful quarters abroad, to regard the Pacific as a sideshow. Fortunately, President Roosevelt and the United States Navy had always assessed the Pacific theatre as one of considerable importance. We owe much to the United States Navy the recovery of • which after Pearl Harbour had been miraculous.” he said.