SEARCHING INQUIRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24951, 25 June 1942, Page 5

SEARCHING INQUIRY

RECENT REVERSES A NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION (Rec. 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, June 23. "It seems certain that the debate on Libya will go to a division oh the question of confidence in the Government's direction of the war," says the political correspondent of The Times. "Small groups of members of the House of Commons have for a long time been critical of the Government, and are now discussing the draft of Sir John Wardlaw-Milne's no-confidence motion, which will probably be tabled to-morrow.

"The motion is reported to be supported by about 25 members, but there is little indication that it will find much more support. Much depends on the course of events in Egypt before the debate takes place, as well as the efficiency of the measures taken to restore the military situation. Members of the House of Commons are deeply disturbed, even angry." The Times, in a leader, says: "The call for a searching inquiry is rused with a new force because of new grounds. Such demands were made after Malaya and Singapore, but it was then recognised that great risks were taken there before the Japanese attack to meet more urgent dangers elsewhere. It was assumed that guns and tanks of the latest pattern were poured into Alexandria so that at least the Libyan front would ba made impregnable, but our weapons in Libya are still obsolescent. This most insistent question is disturbing the public: How comes it after three years of war that our armament still lags in quantity and design—especially design? The balance of air power, at least as set out in official statements, was .stated to be on our side, yet the Benghazi and Tripoli bases were not subjected to sustained attacks, and the enemy's ever-lengthening communications do not seem to have been seriously threatened. The 'adequate' Tobruk garrison was overwhelmed in 24 hours. Members of Parliament are pressing for a ruthless investigation impelled by-the sense that the fate of Egypt may depend on the answers which need to fix the responsibility quickly—quickly, for time presses." The Daily Mail's political correspondent says Mr Churchill was told by trans-Atlantic telephone of the outburst of anger in the House of .Commons, and was left in no doubt that the Government faces the possibility of a serious political revolt. Sir John Wardlaw-Milne, who has for a long time been regarded as a sober stalwart of the Conservatives, is collecting signatures to the following motion:—" The House, while paying tribute to the heroism and endurance of the armed forces, declares that it has no confidence in the central direction and the general strategy of the war." Sir. John Wardlaw-Milne moved as quickly as Field-marshal Rommel to rouse an atmosphere of crisis which the House of Commons has not experienced since the early days of the war. The Daily Mail, in a leader, says: " Mr Attlee's reference to a scapegoat was unhappy. The Government seriously misinterprets the temper of the House if it imagines that the only desire of Parliament and the country is to cast stones at those responsible. The real motive is to expose defects so that they may be avoided in the near future."

CAUSTIC CRITIC

INDEPENDENT'S OUTBURST

" CANT AND HUMBUG RIFE " (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, June 23. "The Government's policy is gradually rotting the very fibre of our people. This war, which began as a worker's war, is becoming the Government's war." Making this statement in the House of Commons, Mr A. Hopkinson (Ind.) created an electric atmosphere when stating his determination to discuss the Consolidated Fund Bill whether the House liked it or not. " The question for the House to consider," he said, "is what value we are getting for the thousands of millions of pounds being poured 'down the drain.' Britain's position was caused by the use of equipment inferior to the enemy's. There is not enough equipment, and it is of the wrong sort." Aircraft production had only doubled compared with the autumn of 1940, when Lord Beaverbrook completely wrecked the country's whole production programme. Every conceivable mistake made in the last war and many new ones had been made by this Government and its predecessors. Would it be possible, even at this late stage, ot arouse munitions and other manufacturers to a sense of the seriousness of the situation and make them realise that the labour world was at present chaotic? " I am throwing the blame upon the policy and mistakes of the Government, which again and again has shown a total incapacity to understand the workers. A considerable proportion of contracts are still on a basis absolutely fatal to production," Mr Hopkinson said.

" I challenge the Labour Party to give a single example in which Labour has sacrificed any mortal thing without being paid through the nose for it. I am making this speech of protest against the cant and humbug which are rife. The people are becoming cynical, seeing all this waste of money. The workers saw ' scallywags' getting away with vast sums of money—some of them notorious. Members of the House of Commons are being paid in excess of anything they could earn honestly in peace-time. "Mr Churchill appointed as Minister of Aircraft Production a public man whose slimy trail has crossed the public life for 30 years."

The Speaker:/ " I must ask Mr Hopkinson to moderate his language." Mr Hopkinson: " I am entitled to use the metaphor and I am speaking purely metaphorically." The whole organisation of the Ministries of Supply and Aircraft production under Lord Beaverbroo.k was thrown into chaos for the purpose of producing advertising value. It was time that the House of Commons protested when it saw in high positions people for whom it felt contempt and disgust, and people undermining Mr Churchill's position, making his task more difficult.

Mr J. J. Tinker (Lab.) and Mr Ellis Smith (Lab.) expressed resentment at Mr Hopkinson's speech, which Mr Ellis Smith described as one of the most mischievous and most irresponsible ever heard in the House of Commons.