ARMED FORCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23994, 18 June 1941, Page 6

ARMED FORCES

GETTING MORE MEN EXPANDING MUNITIONS PREVENTION OF STRIKES PETROL RESTRICTIONS In his broadcast Mr. Menzies outlined proposals to lie submitted to the Federal Parliament in the next week or two under the following headings:— (1) Armed Forces. —Australia was committed to the voluntary system of enlistment for service overseas, lie said. It bad been decided, however, that some reserved occupations appeared unnecessarily classified and the whole list would be drastically overhauled. Only those really and directly associated with the war effort would bo retained as reserved occupations. ''The Government will not hesitate to enlist the services of women," the Prime Minister continued, when speaking of the part women could and were anxious to play toward winning the war. "Service Ministries will confer with representative organisations regarding employment in clerical and other wartime activities."

Powers Over Factories (2) Munitions. —While great things bad already been achieved, munitions production was still handicapped by shortage of machine tools and labour. Whereas Australia had only five plants for producing machine tools before the war, she now bad 70, and technical training schemes had turned out 11,000 men. More and more machine tools and more and more trained and partlytrained men were essential. Australia still bad too many civil industries making things the population could do without better than it could do without munitions, and more and more men must be released for essential war industries. There would be set up an authority which would drastically review civil production and have powers to take over factories and concentrate production. The constitution of the authority was outlined by Mr. Menzies. (3) Imports.—Non-essential imports would be out to the bone, both from sterling and non-sterling sources.

New Ministries (4) Competition for Labour.—There wore shortages in some branches of labour and the co-operation of tho unions would be sought in overcoming this difficulty. New regulations, he hoped, would sharply limit undesirable competition for labour, of which he quoted instances. (5) New Appointments.—He proposod to separate the Ministries of Supply and M unitions. Mr. Menzies said aircraft production also required tho attention of an individual Minister. (6) Manpower Resources. —It was intended to establish a central office in each State capital to act as a nerve centre for labour and manpower matters in any way connected with war work. (7) Petrol Restrictions.—A maximum monthly consumption of 12,000,000 gallons, compared with a pre-war consumption of 30,000,000 gallons, a month was necessary if the national interests of Australian security were to bo conserved. Requisition of Shipping Mr. Menzies said that from the point of view of national security a vital question was tho supply and storage of petrol and the great limiting factor was the growing shortage of tankers. He was disturbed at tho comparison between the supplies available in Australia in January and at present and reserves must be built up. Every oneouragement would be given to the development of substitutes. <8) Government requisition of coastal shipping.—"Tho Government must have the most complete and absolute authority over the use and movement of our merchant ships," ho said. "The ships by which the essential coastal trade of Australia is carried oil will bo requisitioned." The ships would continue to bo managed by the companies, but would be taken by tho Government by compulsory charter. Strikes and Stoppages

(9) Control of internal transport.— Although control of railways would not bo taken from State authorities, an executive officer would be appointed to operate emergency plans to securo the best use of railways for essential goods. Similarly, the Government would appoint and oxocutivo authority in relation to road transport. (10) Coal industry.—lt was proposed to establish a Coal Commission to control tho production, distribution and consumption of coal, to fix prices and if necessary to requisition coal and coalmines.

(11) Strikes and stoppages.—There was already constituted a conciliation

authority and no real grievance noerl now go uninvestigated or unredressed. A series of disputes bad held up work in a vitally important gun cotton factory, construction of munitions factories and other defence works, including a military hospital. "I say quite clearly that such a stoppage represents sabotage of the Commonwealth war effort,'' Mr. Menzies said. "If this is the result of thoughtlessness I call upon those concerned to think while there is yet time. If it is the result of subversive activities by a few agitators I tell them that no further warnings will be given. "Communists come in two classes—they are the soft-headed and the hardheaded disloyalists out to do harm. Those who come in the second class will be interned, whatever position they may occupy. That rule becomes operative to-morrow." The Government would prohibit strikes or lock-outs in war or allied industries, and give the courts full power against those who encouraged or participated in them. Banking Profits (12) Civil Defence Services. —An assistant Minister would bo appointed especially to undertake the task of coordinating various civil defence services. (1.3) Enlarging Cabinet. —Mr. Menzies said be intended to ask Parliament to alter existing legislation limiting the number of Ministers to ]2. It was also urgently desirable to give private members of Parliament an increasing share of responsibility in wartime administration. It was therefore proposed to establish Parliamentary committees attached to various departments. (14) War Finance. —He would propose to Parliament the establishment of an all-party standing committee on war profits. Tf would have the duty of making recommendations for the cure of any evils which might arise. Ho referred to measures already taken to prevent profiteering and said that if capita! came out of the war unimpaired it would be better off than capital in Britain, which had already suffered tremendously through bombing. More Sacrifices Needed Mr. Menzies warned against t lie danger of inflation and claimed that no belligerent country in the world bad enjoyed greater financial stability than Australia. It was clear, however, that more must be obtained from the people and the Government expected that a greater percentage of the national income should be put into war loans and national savings certificates. "The programme I have put before you will produce new burdens, discomforts and obligations for many thousands of people," Mr. Menzies said. "It will give every citizen an opportunity to the point of sacrifice for contributing to the war. There is no reason for despondency in our outlook. "We have a great price to pay, but we have a great freedom to preserve. We are not fighting this war to live in a state of precarious peaco in which living standards will collapse under the weight of armaments, but for such a victory as will enable humane men in every country to set about building a new way of life in which men will bo able to live free not only from the fear of war but free from the fear of unemployment and injustice." Dropping Private Interests

After the war there must be no looking back to a state of society that permitted many injustices. People must lie prepared to put their privileges into tho melting pot and strive for common rights and equal opportunities. But these plans would come to nothing unless tho mortal enemy was overthrown.

".still our cry must be for equipment, ■ equipment and yet more equipment,' said Mr. Menzies, in calling for an unlimited war effort. A crisis had been reached, and 1941 would determine whether we would win or lose, but in 1942, with defeat averted, wo should build surely for victory. He culled upon I every citizen to conduct himself in the coming months as if be knew that for ever after be would be judged by how he stood the test. For the winning of the war the Government would disregard all sectional interests, business profits and private comforts. Vital Phases of War Defining two outstanding features of the war at present, Mr. Menzies said that in tho Battle of the Atlantic shipping was being lost at the rate of between 300,000 and 400,000 tons a month. Tho Germans had developed a new technique, and their long-distftnco aircraft, U-boats and cruisers were cooperating closely. Tho outcome would determine the security of the citadel of the Empire. In the Battle of the Middle Fast we could not choose the ground on which we met. the enemy. Unless we stood and fought we must surrender the Mediterranean, extricate the Fleet, yield Irak and Iran, abandon the largest element of our blockade, open the door to India and Africa, and provide the enemy with valuable new bases.