JOB FOR CASEY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 68, 21 March 1942, Page 5

JOB FOR CASEY

MINISTER OF STATE IN MIDDLE EAST MEMBER OF WAR CABINET APPOINTMENT WELCOMED Rugby, March 19. Announcing the appointment of Mr. R. G. Casey, Australian Minister in Washington, to the post of Minister of State in the Middle East, Mr. Churchill told the House of Commons that he would be a member of the British War Cabinet and would represent the Cabinet in the Middle East, where he would concert, on their behalf, the measures necessary for the prosecution of the war in that area other than conduct operations. Mr. Casey would be described as Minister of State in the Middle East. On behalf of the Government, Mr. Churchill expressed thanks to the Commonwealth Government for its consent to release Mr. Casey at this juncture from his important duties in the United States. Asked whether Mr. Casey was likely to become a member of the House of Commons or the House of Lords, Mr. Churchill replied: “Neither of these solutions would be impossible, but as a matter of fact there are precedents in time of war for Ministers who are His Majesty’s subjects from the Empire holding office in this country without being members of either House.”—B.O.W.

NEWS IN AMERICA

REGRET AT LOSS OF MR. CASEY New York. March 19. A 8.8. C. broadcast brought the first announcement here of Mr. Casey’s appointment as Minister of State in the British Cabinet in the Middle East. Mr. Casey is at present in San Francisco. The Associated Press, by long-distance telephone, awakened Mr. Casey, who was in bed. Mr. Casey said that the agency congratulations were the first he received. He told the Associated Press that he felt very honoured that Mr. Churchill should choose him for such an important post. While he looked forward with very considerable interest to this new form of service in an important new theatre, his only regret was that temporarily he would not be directly in the service of Australia. Nevertheless. his new sphere of work would have considerable value for the people of Australia, as well as other British communities.

Mr. Casey said that before considering th A appointment he had fully consulted both Mr. Curtin and Dr. Evatt. Minister of External Affairs, and naturally had given the most careful personal consideration to the invitation. Mr. Casey said that when he was offered the Washington appointment he believed it was the most useful thing he could accomplish at that time. He said that his two vears of work in Washington had been very full ones, but he liked to believe that thev had not been without benefit. The news of Mr. Casey’s translation to London was received with widespread regret in official and diplomatic quarters in Washington, New York, and elsewhere in America. Mr. Casey bad been indefatigable in his efforts to spread the gospel of Australia, and personally had made hosts of friends. He is universally respected and his numerous speeches and broadcasts have been extraordinarily well received here. Successor to Mr. C.isey? Political circles in Washington conjecture that Mr. Casey's appointment signifies that Dr. Evatt is likely to remain here indefinitely as Australian Minister, perhaps retaining the title oi Foreign Minister. This conjecture arose partly from the precedent of the British Ambassador here, Lord Halifax, who was Foreign Minister in London before coming to Washington, and remained a member of the British War Cabinet even while in Washington. Also, the Chinese Foreign Minister. Mr. T. V. Soong, is at present located here. Moreover the Russian Ambassador here. M. Maxim Litvinov, is a former Russian Foreign Minister. The Netherlands Foreign Minister. M. Van Kieffens, has been a frequent visitor to Washington during the Pacific crisis. Political circles have widely commented that in view of the intense and close relations between Australia and the United States at this moment the Australian Government very likely will want a high-powered envoy here indefinitely.

MR. CURTIN’S ATTITUDE FULL CONCURRENCE London, March 19. The Australian Prime Minister (Mr. J. Curtin) has issued a statement in Canberra about Mr. Casey's appointment. He said that on March 16 he received word that Mr. Casey had been invited bv Mr. Churchill to become Minister of State in the Middle East, with a seat in the War Cabinet. It was intimated to him. said Mr. Curtin, that the proposal was purely personal for Mr. Casey, and he (Mr. Curtin) replied that if it was personal the decision lay between Mr. Casey and Mr. Churchill. Mr. Curtin said he explained to Mr. Casey that the Commonwealth Government would not stand in his way' by pressing him to remain in the service of Australia but at the same time the Australian Government did not want Mr. Casey to leave Washington at this moment, in view of his experience and the contacts he had made there. Mr. Curtin said he had made it cl r ar to Mr. Casey that this was the Australian Government's wish, and not its instructions. Since Mr. Curtin's statement was made, it is stated in London that the Rritis'h Government has received Mr. Curtin’s full concurrence on Mr. Casey's appontm°nt under the conditions arranged. This concurrence was received before any suggestion was made to Mr. Casey. Mr. Churchill stated in the House ot Commons that Mr. Casev would be a m-mber of the United Kingdom War Cabinet for all nurnoses. although his di'i'es lav outside the country. Mr. E. L. Granville said in the House that Mr. Casey's annointment would give satisfaction throughout the Empire. Asked whether the new Minister of State would be given the same wide powers as his predecessors in Cairo, Mr. Churchll replied: “Certainly.”

AXIS DRIVE EXPECTED MIDDLE EAST IMPORTANCE TRIBUTES TO MR. CASEY (Recd. 11.5 ) New York March 19. Thp Washington correspondent of the New York Times says that Mr. Casey’s appointment is a high tribute to Mr. Casey, who is regarded as the most effective Empire diplomat in Washington. “Mr. Casey’s presence in the cricital

Middle East may spell the difference between victory and defeat, because this Australian has shown he will brook no political fol-de-rol,” states the correspondent. “Furthermore, he has the gift to overcome political difficulties without upsetting tempers.” Mr. Casey’s appoir.jnent is doubly timely because best-..i formed circles in Washington and London expect that the Nazis and Japanese will, within five weeks, start drives for a junction of forces in the Middle East, because the Nazi war machine cannot hold out much longer without additional oil. Furthermore, Lord Beaverbrook's recent disclosure that the largest portion of British planes has been dispatched to the Middle East additionally indicates that a German drive through or around Turkey is expected and is imminent. DELICATE SITUATION APPOINTMENT TROUBLE (Recd. 11.55) Canberra. March 20. A delicate situation having arisen all communications between Mi Churchill, Mr. Curtin and Mr. Casey over the latter's appointment to the Middle East will be contained in a White Paper which Mr. Curtin will table in Parliament next Wednesday This, it is understood, will reveal that Mr. Casey met Mr. Churchill while I the latter was in America and expressed a desire for a change,.