Australia Prefers Freedom for Individual

Chronicle (Levin), 1 June 1948, Page 7

Australia Prefers Freedom for Individual

Press Assotiationj

(Per

Recfiived Monday, 7 p.in. SYDNEY, .May 31. The decisive' defeat of the Federai Government bid for permanent controi over prices, rents, aad charges, is being intetpreted by both sides as- a vote . against bureaucraey rather than against a Labour Government. Evcji the most liberal supporter is not prepared to beiieve. that citizens voted on party lines. The general feeling is bcst expressed. by Mr. E. J. Jlolloway, Federal Minister for Labour who, seorning reeriminations and challenges indulgea ifi by other Labour members, said:. "This overwhelming vote shows the deep seated hostility of the m,an in the street- t'o peaeetime controi of any Gov ernment. The people seem to prefer to tusk exploitation rather than sulimit to cantinuod controls. " This. equrageous° statement . impiies recognition by a considerable section ot the Australian Labolr Partv of a fact tliat the Labour' pdlicy of sociaHsation ahd.^h.ationalisation is. becoming increasingly unpopular. ■ ' "v A constdtutional lawyer, Dr. Franlv Louat, takes matter's a step further .w.hen he says: "These referendum iigures. are the Chifley . Govermnent's secohd chanee to learn the lesson it t'aiied to grasp from. the Vietorian election. Thy. flai refusal - by the people rnea.ns . th&t Australians have- already had as much socialism as they are prepared to, stand. Today there is a sharpening of the . world-wide issue beftVeen the , defenders of individual freedom and those .who beiieve in the hefd' manage'ment of human beings. There is no halfwtty hoxtse between these two .ways of li ving and the ligures show tliat Australians have made up" their ininds. where t'hey stand." ' .'Observers beiieve that the Governmont was in a parth'ularly strong position ayear ago, lmt that bv one move •after apother it has lost a great ueai of 'support. Pefmaiient Governnient co tr'oi of prices has been sought and Lost t'wice before and, there is a considerable -body of opinion tliat the question shpfild not have been asked again when fluch an importaut issue as Pedcral Goveriunent controi p'f- banking was not /ref-erord. tq the p'eqple- . ' . • " EventS .on the industrial front have presented 'the' 'spectiicl'e of tiie Governnieiit -standjn'g bv while watersiders dictatq. points of foreign policy and ext^emlstA ^deriyrcoal) power, and trans[i&ih :to large -s'ections, Action by Mr. Holloway in Victoria- and by the Queensland Labour Premier, Mr. llanion,- has dcmoinsti'atcd that Govern nients can still succcssfully intervene in: iUegaU'strikefv The' feeling is grow ifig thg,t Canberra politicians are lpsmg .fouch' .with their ''electors. .. Apart I'iOjn" tliaf . there is a strong h'eeliug that/ with revnue bounding to reC'ord levels, taxation is much too high. It- i's' apparent that the referenduni •everse has brouglit houie these facts to •onie at- least of Governnient- members.