POST-WAR POWERS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 225, 20 June 1944, Page 4

POST-WAR POWERS

Australian Referendum Campaign Opens (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received June 19, 7.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 19. Advance copies of the official pamphlet outlining the cases for and against the powers referendum to be held on August 19 have been released. This marks the opening of the referendum campaign. About 4,500,000 copies of the pamphlet will be distributed to voters. In brief, the case for granting the Commonwealth 14 additional powers stresses that postwar reconstruction is too big a job to be left to the six State Governments. The “no” case says that granting of the powers would mean industrial conscription. Some of the reasons why the Federal Government says it needs the powers.are to facilitate rehabilitation of servicemen and women and provide work for all; to guard against another depression resulting from the changeover from war to peace; to improve housing; to ensure a proper living to the man on the land; and to prevent profiteering in the disturbed conditions after the, war. The Labour Government pledges itself to, oppose industrial conscription in peacetime. It claims that the small businessman will have little chance unless monopolies and combines are subject to national legislation. Business will be allowed to make a fair profit but the Federal Government seeks power to prevent such profit becoming extortionate. The “no” case warns that the people having had a taste of centralized control in wartime should vote against the granting of additional powers which would mean a continuance of' present abuses. It says that the granting of the additional powers would mean industrial conscription. wholesale elimination of the small trader and control of industry by talkative amateurs. The “no” case adds that tlie referendum proposal is misleading, since the people must vote for all of the powers or none. “Abuse of Authority.” Commenting on the referendum, the “Sydney Morning Herald” today says in an editorial: “First thoughts that the Commonwealth should be granted more powers are being revised in the light of accumulating proofs that special authority vested in the Federal Government for wartime purposes and delegated to n swollen bureaucracy has been grossly and unforgivably abused. Traditional respect for public rights and liberties has been thrown into the discard and the sanctity of the mails has become a jest. The very processes of justice are perverted and befouled by the emidoyment of agent-pro-vocateur methods by the Prices Branch to entice persons into the commission of offences against the new wartime laws. The recent revelations have wrought,irreparable mischief to the Government’s referendmn plans. “The public, angered by them, will be the more disposed to heed such criticism as that advanced by the United Australia Party conference —that the new powers are designed in part ‘to" perpetuate the system in which central power is sustained on a basis of arbitrary executive action and the subordination of Parliament to officialdom.’” Though the “Herald” -warns that the Government’s failure to keep the pretensions of bureaucracy in check has gone far to put the referendum in jeopardy, other political commentators believe that, the hone of insuring a continuance of wartime prosperity will impel electors’ support. They say that the Government’s “bread and butter” propaganda must make a strong appeal to both workers, and soldiers. In view of the tremls evident in some recent State elections, however, it is clear that the Federal Government faces no easy’ task in persuading the unanimous support of the States for its wider post-war powers-