AUSTRALIA PREPARED

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21664, 26 February 1942, Page 5

AUSTRALIA PREPARED

THE FRONT-LINE SPIRIT NECESSITY OF UNITY (United Press Assn.—Elec. Te.. cupyrlgTit) CANBERRA, Feb. 25 “Direct thrusts against Australia seem certain,” the Minister of External Affairs, Dr. H. C. Evatt, declared in the House of Representatives today in a review of the Pacific situation. Dr. Evatt proceeded: “We are now faced with the necessity of defending Australia on our own shores, but in defending Australia our people are lighting as much for the Allies as when lighting abroad, for the holding of this country is essential to the final offensive and victory. In holding Australia we shall be fighting not only for New Zealand and every Pacific island, but for Canada and the United States.

While appreciating the immense

strength of the United States, it is not intended to creep into safety behind her. The Australian Government will maintain a front-line spirit and will continue to do everything possible to facilitate American plans. “We can win this war only by taking offensive action. The Allies cannot be assured of victory until they perfect a system of co-operation.” Common Strategical Plan

Dr. Evatt emphasised that in dealing with an enemy whose movements were not dictated by degree of latitude and longitude, over strict delimitation, either of strategical areas or of commanders, might be dangerous. He suggested that the outstanding lesson of the Malayan campaign was the fundamental need for effective machinery to ensure that there should be not only Allied unity of command but a guarantee of a common Allied strategical plan, backed by a pooling of resources and the sound allocation of those resources.

The Commonwealth Government would have preefrred Washington as the venue for the Pacific Council and believed it should have had an opportunity of conferring with the United States and China at the same council table, but on neither point was Australia’s proposal acceptable. Dr. Evatt concluded: “Australia’s actions as a nation must be governed by two broad principles—firstly, absolute solidarity with all enemies of the Axis; secondly, the defence of Australia not only as our homeland but as a key area in the plan of Allied and Empire strategy.”

The Federal Prime Minister, Mr J. Curtin, moving that the House of Representatives adjourn until Thursday week, said the whole strategical problem required urgent consideration in conjunction with the representatives of New Zealand and the United Nations. The motion to adjourn was agreed to.