Australians Vote Today

Northern Advocate, 21 August 1943, Page 3

Australians Vote Today

< Special ) " SYDNEY, This Day. ''Personality versus Policy" will be one of ilie great factors dominating today’s Australian Federal election. While the joint Opposition parties have placed before Commonwealth electors a blueprint plan lor the remaining war and post-war years, the .Labour Government has pinned as faith entirely on the prestige of the Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin). Labour election propaganda has had as its slogan, "Reiurn the Curtin Government." Party aspects have been kept severely in the background. Labour's only promise to the electors has been to “get on with the war.” Its candidates have avoided even the lightest step on the customarily contentious planks of the party platform. "The Prime Minister is on the crest of a victorious wave, and he is gambling cii it throwing him back 10 the Treasury benches." says the political correspondent of the Sydney “Daily Telegraph.” "Mr, Curtin has talked war, war, war. He has avoided the good old Labour programme of 'bubble’ promises. He bas made no ranting, roaring attacks against his opponents, against capitalism, or any of l lie usual stock properties. Mr. Curtin emerges as tiie commanding personality of the election campaign because he has shown the best generalship and played most skilfully on the emotions of the electors. I have an idea that when the votes are counted the electors will remember that the Prime Minister was the Pied Piper beckoning them with martial, sweet and soothing music, and that the Leader of the Opposition was a hoarse and fretful figure, who spent four exhausting weeks trving to provoke John Curtin into taking some serious notice of him." Fought On The Past "This election should have been fought on what lies ahead, not as it seems to have been, on what lies behind. Mr. Curtin's strategy would not have gone down so well had ihe Opposition leadership been astute enough and powerful enough to direct the public mind to Ihe tremendous social and economic problems which confront this country.” Choose those men best qualified lor public life, irrespective of party allegiances.' says the Svdney "Morning Herald” today, advising Australians how to vote at today's polling. Assessing the merits of the main parties, the paper says that in leadership, unity and administrative strength the joint Opposition is weaker than Labour By selecting candidates for capacity, not for party, the electors can assist the desirable end of achieving a stable National Government. "Vote for a stronger Parliament rather than a stronger party,” advises the “Daily Telegraph” editorially, "for a strong Parliament rather than a strong party is a guarantee of your democracy.” The "Daily Telegraph," admitting the possibility of Labour securing a working maioritp in the House of Representatives, savs i? is unlikely to gain command in the'Senate. Opposition supremacy m the Senate would largely stalemate Laboui power in the Lower House. Jo gam a majority in the House of Representatives, win at’ least 1C of 17 seats being contested at this election.