FROM COPY-RUNNER TO PRIME MINISTER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 28 October 1941, Page 7

FROM COPY-RUNNER TO PRIME MINISTER

CAREER OF JOHN CURTIN ALWAYS INTERESTED IN LABOUR MOVEMENT John Curtin, Leader of the Federalj Labour Party and now Prime Minister of Australia, is a democrat of the old school—strong of conviction, moderate ■ in outlook, fluent and forceful in de- j bate, and a good platform man. A ‘ political disciple of the late Frank Anstey. he has been a keen student of j politics from Ills youth, and has had practical experience in the industrial j as well as the political field of Labour activity, states a writer in the Mel- • bourne "Age.” Though he represents a West Australian electorate, Mr Curtin is a native J , of Victoria, and has spent the greater i part of his life in this State. He was j (born 56 years ago at Cheswick, erst- ; while flourishing mining town, where: his father was a constable of police. John was the eldest of four children, and while they were still at the school age the family moved to Brunswick. After he left school John Curtin got a job as messenger and copy-runner on ci small paper, the “Rambler,” conducted bv the Lindsay brothers, now well known artists, who also came from Cheswick. After that he followed various occupations, but a flair for writing I and politics kept him in close associa- ! tion with the Labour movement, lor which he wrote many pamphlets and 1 spoke on election platforms. It was in Brunswick that John Cur- ! tin became associated with Frank An- j stey, then a young and fiery orator of j the front rank in Labour politics. Much ! of his leisure he spent in Anstey’s company. and from the brilliant orator and debater learnt a great deal about political history and economy, and the art ; of self-expression in speech and writing. He was also closely associated with Turn Mann when that champion i of .Socialism visited Australia. In his i spare time he played cricket and football with local teams. I From 1911 to 1915 Mr Curtin was secretary of the Timber Workers’ Union. A year or two later he went to Perth , as editor of the “Westralian Worker.” ! a post which he filled for more than . ten years. He married a Tasmanian ; girl. Miss Elsie Needham, in 1917, and [ has a son. aged 20, in the Royal Aust tralian Air Force in West Australia, l and a daughter. His home is in Cot- ; tesloe, West Australia Mr Curtin entered Federal Parlia- [ ment as member for Fremantle in 1928. ; but lost the seat in the Labour debacle ! of 193 E In 1934, however, he regained ! it, and six years ago he was elected j Leader of the Federal Labour party, . when Mr Scullin retired on account of ! ill-health. At the general election last ; year he narrowly escaped defeat. In | ■ 1924 he was a delegate to the Interna- ’ tional Labour Conference. John Curtin is popular among members of all parties in Parliament. He is one of the ablest speakers in the House, having a clear, forceful delivery and a logical mind which enables him to put a case clearly, concisely and—as far as is possible in politics—con- | vinoinglv. His brother (who is seere- j tary of the Rubber Workers' Union) and j his two married sisters still live in j Brunswick, and he receives a hearty welcome from many old friends when- j ever he visits that district.