CURTIN’S MANDATE

Grey River Argus, 17 December 1943, Page 5

CURTIN’S MANDATE

FROM A.L.P. CONFERENCE Opposition Critic [Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.] MELBOURNE, Dec. 16. Mr, R. G. Menzies, Leader of the Opposition in tne Federal House, said': “Mr. Curtin's statement on Empire relations was a complete disappointment, merely re-stating principles on winch close relations had been maintained for many years. Past Prime Ministers established and maintained very frequent contacts with Britain and the other Dominions. It has been left to Mr. Curtin to theorise about those matters. With superb irony, Mr. Curtin, the only Prime Minister to remain resolutely in hh own country during his whole period of office and Leader of tne Party (which, in August, 1941, when there was a suggestion that I revisit Britain, declared vehemently: ‘Tne place of the Prime Minister in wartime is in his own country’) now announces that there can be no substitute for conferences of Prime Ministers on questions of major Empire policy. Mr. Curtin’s plan for Empire consultation seems to consist of tne discovery of what has been happening for years. Mr. Curtin’s proposed accrediting of High Commissioners was established long ago. If, however, his pronouncement is to be regarded not as proposing new machinery, but as indicating recognition that the time has come for Empire countries to get closer together on tne view that a well-knit Empire will be a vital element in world reconstructions, and keeping the world’s peace, then it is to be welcomed none the less, because it will involve a complete reversal of the traditional point of view of the Australian Labour Party.”

Mr Curtin for London EMPIRE CONFERENCE EXPECTED. (Rec. 12.10 a.m.) CANBERRA, Dec. 16 It is officially stated. that Mr. Curtin may leave Australia early in the Nev/ Year, and attend an Empire Conference which it is believed, will be called at the request of General Smuts. Already General Smuts has indicated a keen interest in Mr. Curtin’s plans for Empire co-operation. It is known that Mr. Curtin, in the past has been reluctant to go overseas, as he has felt that his hands were, to a great extent, bound by? his existing Party instructions. He can now speak in the Empire councils without his hands being tied by the Party platform. SYDNEY. Dec. 16 Mr. Curtin has been given greater powers by the Federal Australian Labour Partv Conference than any other Labour Leader in the Commonwealth’s history. “The Telegraph” reports that Mr. Curtin is arranging to go to London early next year, and that he expects to attend an Imperial Conference there in April. The paper says he will return home by wav of the United States. Visits to London and Washington bv Mr. Curtin have been widely uro-ed during the past year. The “Telegraph” asks for plainer speech from Mr. Curtin, and says that Labour quarters had been unable to decide whether the motion -which he put before the Conference is just a meaningless collection of words or has some very profound import. The motion is generally accented as providing evidence of a distinctly imperialist trend. The present Australian Labour Party’s policy expressly prohibits any imperial federation. Mr. Curtin’s motion also provides that Australia’s policy shall be controlled by its own people, Parliament and Government. Some commentators suggest that divisions of the motion offer some contradictions. Delegates to the conference have been reported to have confessed they were groping for the real meaning of the Prime Minister’s motion. <

Some political commentators suggest that the Conference’s unanimous endorsement of Mr. Curtin’s proposal for far-reaching changes in the traditional Labour policy have given him almost dictatorial power. At the Conference. Mr. Curtin specifically outlined a plan for fuller co-operation and consultation between the units of the British Empire. This plan is regarded as a development of the proposals Mr. Curtin made in election speeches for the formation of an Empire Council. MTCurtin proposed frequent meetings of Dominions’ prime ministers, not necessarily to be held in London. The Dominions, he said, should be kept fully informed of policy developments before decisions were reached. There should be a standing sub-com-mittee of the Imperial Conference to handle problems as they arose, iiie secretariat of the Imperial Conference should be located in London, but it should not necessarily have a fixed venue. “Australia’s capacity to govern involves her ability to adapt herself to new problems and meet new conditions,” said Mr. Curtin. “What was good enough 20 years ago may not be good enough now.”< The best machinery for international co-operation would come by an evolution, similar to that which developed the co-operative spirit within the British Commonwealth of Nations. The nucleus of that machinery would have to be the great powers of Great Britain, America, Russia and China. If Britain. Canada, Australia and New Zealand were to develop understanding on mutual interests in the Pacific, it was logical that thev should collaborate in a regional organisation with other nations holding parallel Pacific interests. Regional) arrangements were an essential component of anv world organisation. The war had involved each of the United Nations in “mutuality” , and there was no alternative to ‘mutuality” .in peace. POST-WAR RECONSTRUCTION. (Rec. 12.28 a.m.) CANBERRA, Dec. Io The Federal Governments plan to widen its constitutional powers tor post-war reconstruction was approved to-day by the Australian Labour Party conference. “There is an unanswerable case tor the Commonwealth being granted, by referendum, additional powers for five years,” said the Attorney-Gen-eral Dr. Evatt. “In my opinion, the greatest problem of the immediate po'st-war period will be to prevent any unemployment. Provided the issue is made clear to the people, i am confident that they will support the Labour Government in its determination to make it certain that jobs will be found for all.” .