CONFIDENCE IN LEADERS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 255, 26 September 1942, Page 5

CONFIDENCE IN LEADERS

REPLY TO CRITICISM. CANBERRA, Sept. 25

“The Australian Government has the utmost confidence in General MacArthur and General Blarney,” declared the Minister for the Army (Mr Forde), Who revealed that he would visit the New Guinoa battle area. The Minister was replying in the House of Representatives to liefited criticism of tile leadership of the Australian Army. Expressing the opinion that the criticism levelled at the Army leadership was subversive and would give an impression that the troops in the islands were commanded by “nitwits,” Mr Forde said the Government was proud of its Army leaders. Referring to the reorganisation of the Allied Forces in the South-West Pacific he said the master stroke had been the appointment of “the greatest military man who had ever dorilied a uhiform',” General MacArthur, to this command. That appointment had inspired the whole of the people of the Democracies. “I am proud, too, of the appointment of General Blarney as Commander-in-Chief of the Allied land forces,” said the Minister. “He is working in the closest co-operation with General MacArthur.”

During the past few days a barrage of criticism has beeh hurled _ at the Service Ministers for their failure to visit New Guinea, the critics’ attitude being epitomised by Mr Abbott who said: “There is something wrong somewhere to cause our meii—the salt of the earth and. acknowledged the bravest of the brave—to fall hack before the Japanese.” Mr Forde will visit Port Moresby, Darwin, and other battle areas in the South-West Pacific war theatres. He told the House that the Government’s confidence in their military leaders was reciprocated. “We will not be stampeded into making scapegoats of our military ..leaders for the shortcomings of our defence, the blame for whicli should be laid at the door of the previous Administration, not at the feet of General MacArthur or General Blarney.” He declared that the critics of military chiefs Were undermining the morale of the fighting men and the people of Australia. There had been a regrettable tendency to “knock” the military leaders in Australia. These men had under them the finest fighting force ever assembled in the Southern Hemisphere. “We have implicit faith in these military leaders and we are proud of them.” Some of the critical statements referred to included: “It is madness to send raiv youths from Sydney find Melbourne to tropical jungles.” “The people have been lulled into a false sense of security because of ex-_ traordinary optimistic statements.” “In the early days of the New Guinea fighting, out troops were untrained. Each man should . have at least six months’ training before being sent into battle.” RUTHLESS SIFTING.

The entire. Australian Army orgniiisation is being ruthlessly sifted, Mr Forde told the Housei A review of the Army Commands was proceeding and meft or officers found unsuitable were weeded out or transferred to duties more stjited to their capacity! Mo reVcalod that change-overs of two fairly senior officers had been made during the New Guinea eam-

paign. The "chronic disease of underestimating the enemy” was trenchantly attacked by the former Prime Minister (Mr R. G. Menzies) here to-dav. “Why every now and then does "it become necessary for Us to declare man for man that we are better than the Japanese?” he asked. “So far we have had defeats and they have been administered by people who have learned more about the art of war than we have. Let us admit that, and wc will be well on the way to recovery. “A straight look at ourselves would not dampen our patriotism,”* he declared. “The fire within us is no flickering flame to he put out by the first giist of wind.”