DEFEAT OF GOVERNMENT

Waikato Times, Volume 131, Issue 21910, 14 December 1942, Page 2

DEFEAT OF GOVERNMENT

If ever there was an argument in favour of national government in a time of extreme emergency it is being provided in Australia at present by the controversy concerning conscription. The Prime Minister, Mr J. Curtin, has boldly advocated the extension of conscription to include troops to be employed outside of Australia and its territory. At present only volunteers may be sent beyond territory controlled by Australia. When the motion came before the Federal Parliament Mr Curtin’s Labour Government was defeated on the casting vote of the Speaker. The motion was moved by a private member, however, and the defeat has not been regarded as a matter of confidence necessitating the resignation of the Government. So in the meantime only volunteers can be sent to points beyond Australian territory and the battle for the Pacific might be fought under a handicap. Mr Curtin hopes, however, that his objective will yet be achieved. Labour’s experience in the last war accounts for the extreme unwillingness of the party on this occasion to alter the conscription law. In 1917 the application of conscription led to the defeat of the party and kept it out of power for many years. The point is that not the real interests of Australia and the Empire but political considerations have led to this decision on a matter of vital importance. Australia has not been backward in providing men for the fighting forces, but it is astonishing that there is such strong feeling in favour of limiting the operations of the men when they have joined the forces. Obviously the best defence is to keep the enemy as far as possible from Australian shores. Yet the conscripted militia may not go beyond a fixed line, which includes only a little territory outside the mainland. If party interests stand in the way, Australia should have a national, non-party government.