Australian Call Up For More Defence Training

Northern Advocate, 12 December 1941, Page 6

Australian Call Up For More Defence Training

(Rec. noon). MELBOURNE, This Day. Placing Australia on a complete war footing, the Government decided today to call up all single men to 45 years of age and married men to 35 for home defence service training. The Government is now preparing a series of decrees, which will be announced in detail after the meeting of the War Council today. They include the prohibition of all non-essential consumption of petrol, the elimination of holiday travelling, restriction of trading hours in many classes of shops and severe curtailment of civilian non-essential transport. Lead From Above The Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin) said yesterday that Australia could no longer rely on appeals but must make decisions which must be accepted by the people without argument on their wisdom. An important reshuffle of senior positions- in the fighting services is under consideration. Mr. Curtin asked the people to steel their determination to face with uncomplaining cheerfulness the trials, sacrifices and hardships ahead.

United Parliament

' Soon after Mr. Curtin reached his office yesterday he summoned the leader of the Opposition (Mr. A. W. Fadden) to a conference of service leaders, and as a result Mr. Fadden is relieving Mr. Curtin of certain responsibilities. Mr. Fadden promised the support of the Opposition in any capacity required. For all practical purposes there

is now only one party in the Fetl-

eral Parliament,

The Australian Council of Trades Unions has pledged its support on behalf of the workers in ensuring that there shall be no interruption in production. Plans have been prepared for stopping all non-essential railway transport. This means that all holiday services will end and country racing will cease for the duration of the war. Aroused at Last War with Japan has caused a remarkable transformation among the people of the Commonwealth particularly in the eastern states. There is now a grim realisation that the worst can happen here. The newspapers are devoting considerable space to preparations, which are stated to be well advanced, to deal with a hostile attack on the larger cities. Australia is to be placed on what virtually amounts to a blockade basis. As a result of the naval reverses in the Pacific it is now realised that the Japanese are in a position to divert aircraft carriers for attacks on Australian industrial centres. Arrangements have been made for the evacuation of women and children from the threatened areas to the country. Official circles say State rights may be abrogated for the duration of the war in order that the Federal Government may have supreme power to deal with the lives of the people. Invasion Likely “The war has reached Australian waters, and the enemy is seeking an early opportunity to set foot on our soil,” said the Commonwealth Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin), in a stirring call to the nation. “Australia will have to do more, man for man, than the people of Britain, because we have a longer seaboard to defend. This is a sheer national necessity. We started late, but whatever we have, we must match the enemy gun for gun, ship for ship and aeroplane for aeroplane.” Recruiting offices in the Commonwealth have had to double and redouble their staffs to deal with the rush of volunteers.

Conscription May Follow

Everyone welcomes the fact that the Government has taken the people into its confidence. The Federal Cabinet is in almost continuous session, and decisions are being made every hour. Conscription for war service is being considered, the air force has been strengthened, garrisons in-

creased, and as much as 30 per cent, female labour is to be em-

ployed in the aircraft factories. Important changes have been made in the Australian Cabinet as a result of the Pacific situation, states a correspondent of the 8.8. C. No official announcement has yet been made, but it is known that conferences between the Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin), and the leader of the Opposition (Mr. Fadden) have resulted in an arrangement whereby Mr. Fadden will give his full-time services to the Government/

He will in fact, if not in name, says the correspondent, be assistant Prime Minister. Other members of the Opposition will assist the present Ministers.

This decision was made three hours after Mr. Curtin arrived at his office this morning. Before this step it was known that Mr. Fadden and his colleagues had offered their services to the Government and that they had been accepted. Only married men or men over 35 are now eligible to enlist in the A.I.F. or the Air Force. The Minister of the Army (Mr. F. M. Forde) in announcing the order said this had been done because of the necessity for maintaining militia units at their present strength. Defence ’ questions discussed between Ministers and Service chiefs included a further call-up of unmarried men and childless widowers in the 35-45 age group for home defence. For the purpose of laying the foundation of industrial peace a conference is to be held on December 22 at Canberra.

Measures Amplified

The War Cabinet has decided that married men to the age of 35 and single men and widowers without children to 45 will be required tc. register immediately for service in the Australian military forces when called upon. Percentage cuts will be -made in petrol allocations to all classes of users but these will not apply till after January. All retail establishments, except food and medical suppliers, must close at 6 p.m. Electric signs and lighting used for night sport have been prohibited.

The list of reserved occupations has been revised and a number omitted. Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day are to be the only days on which businesses shall be closed. This includes banks and commercial houses.