DEFENCE POLICY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23339, 6 May 1939, Page 13

DEFENCE POLICY

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR FORMAL DECLARATION ! / ■ GUIDANCE OF MEMBERS ADVICE TO NEW ZEALAND By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright SYDNEY, May 5 A new declaration on defence for the guidance of members of the Australian Labour Party, in view of the present international situation, was adopted at the inter-State conference; The declaration will be binding on all members of the party throughout Australia, and it is expected that it will become part of the Labour platform. The declaration stated in part: "This conference of representatives of Labour throughout Australia, having regard to the grave international situation nowexisting, declares its adherence to the principles of democracy and the necessity for defending our free institutions against all forms of attack, and intimates that: —

(1) We stand for the maintenance of Australia as an integral part of: the British Commonwealth of Nations.

(2) We stand for a policy of complete national and economic security. (3) We will defend all our people in all States against aggression from, any source."

The leader of the party, Mr. J. Curtin, in explaining the policy to the conference, said Australia could best assist the British Commonwealth of Nations by making the Commonwealth self-reliant and secure for its own defence.

"I say to the people of Britain and New Zealand that they and we must formulate a defence programme which will ensure that, for a period at least, each will be able to survive if mutual assistance is not forthcoming."

Mr. Curtin added that Labour's policy did not mean that Australians would not go to the aid of New Zealand or New Guinea.

COMPULSION ISSUE NO OVERSEA SERVICE MR. MENZIES* UNDERTAKING ' TRAINING FOR MILITIA [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, May 2 Since Britain introduced partial conscription last week, the question whether it will be introduced also in Australia has become one of deep political significance.

The Leader of the Federal Labour Opposition (Mr. J. Curtin) asked the Prime Minister, Mr. R. G. Menzies, to reaffirm the pledge against conscription given by the late Mr. Lyons during the 1937 election campaign. Mr. Curtin said that Mr. Menzies, in his national broadcast last week, had failed to remove a suspicion that something more than voluntary enlistment would be required. An emphatic declaration that Mr. Menzies and his Government intended to observe the undertaking given by Mr. Lyons would go a long way toward making a national effort truly national. In its absence, the workers of Australia would view with distrust any statements by the Prime Minister that there ■wtould be no profiteering, and that equal sacrifices would be demanded of those weN placed in life.

Mr. Menzies, when questioned about Mr. Curtin's demand, replied that the assurance given by Mr. Lyons in 1937. was tha\t there would be no conscription for overseas service. He had reiterated in his \broadcast that no Australian would be 1 compelled to go abroad to fight, but v he refused to discuss suggestions that Jthe Government intended to abandon th& system of voluntary training of the militia. The Government, he said, would Review its policy according to the circumstances of the moment.

Unofficially )£t is stated that there is no basis for fhe inference drawn in some quarters from Mr. Menzies' broadcast that conscription is to be introduced. If circumstances demand a change in the existing system, universal training is likely to be introduced. Mr. Menzies'.assured members of the United Australia Party before he was elected leader that he believed in the principle of universal training, but he pointed out at the\time that there were many administrate difficulties in the way of introducing it for some time. ____