AUSTRALIA’S EFFORT

Evening Star, Issue 23383, 28 September 1939, Page 8

AUSTRALIA’S EFFORT

PREPARING FOR ANY CONTINGENCY FIRST DIVISION OF 20,000 MEN “-Our aim will be to make our most effective contribution at the most appropriate time and in the most effective way,” the Prime Minister of Australia (Mr Menzies) said on September 15 in a nation-wide broadcast in which he announced the decision to enlist a volunteer army of 20,000 men in Australia. Australia, he said, would prepare and train its people and organise its resources, so that at any time the right action could he taken promptly in the light of existing circumstances. “ Some of yon have been probably waiting patiently for the Government to say what it is going to do toward tile training of troops or the raising of a special force,” he said. “ We have been well aware of the importance and urgency of those matters, and have kept in close contact with the British Government, as everyone desires that the whole of the efforts should be effectively co-ordinated. “ We evolved concrete proposals of our own, which we had to submit to our expert military officers. Only experts can say what resources are available. I am not inclined to give you half-baked statements, but prefer to give you something specific and clear, cut. which I know can be done and will be clone. “ Our military exports have approved of these decisions. We propose to enlist forthwith an infantry division with its ancillary units, or a total of 20,000 men. This force will be specially enlisted for service' at home or abroad as circumstances require.” AGES OF ENLISTMENT. The special force, Mr Menzies said, would be enlisted for continuous service for the duration of the war and 12 months afterwards, or until its members had been lawfully discharged. As in the ease of the A.1.F.. one brigade would be enlisted in New South Wales, one in Victoria, and the remainder in the other States. Ages of enlistments would be:— Privates and non-commissioned officers, 20 to 35 years, with exceptions up to 40 years for warrant officers and specially qualified non-commissioned officers. 1 Subalterns, under 30 years. Captains, under 35 years. Majors, under 40 years. Lieutenant-colonels, under 45 years. “ In this special force,” Mr Menzies added, “ preference in enlistment will be given to single men who are not occupied in essential civil jobs. The rates of pay will be substantially those of the A.1.F., and the force will be enlisted for. service at home or abroad. MAY SERVE ABROAD. “ The reason for this is clear. We are at war as part of the British Empire, and our strategic position may very well change from time to time,, according to the alignment of the various nations. The primary necessity of raising this force is to ensure the defence of Australia itself. “ The international position will have to be watched from day to day. In some circumstances the Australian force could be used to garrison some of the Pacific islands, to co-operate with New Zealand, or to relieve the British troops at Singapore or elsewhere. “ In other circumstances it might be practicable to send an Australian force to Europe. All these things are possibilities, and will have to be decided upon in the light of the circumstances as they exist in the future. “ One of the real tasks of the Government will- be to do nothing to diminish the security of Australia itself, while at the same time enabling Australia to play its part in the security of the Empire as a whole.” MILITIA MOBILISATION. Announcing the mobilisation of the militia forces of nearly 80.000 men, Mr Menzies said it was proposed to call them up in two drafts, each to receive a month’s continuous camp training. At the end of two months the militia position would come up for review. Plans for the future had been made to meet any contingency. “ In addition to the special and continuously trained army of 20.000 men, thereforej we shall have this much larger militia force,” he added. “Its training at the end of another two months will have reached a higher degree of efficiency than would normally have been obtained after two years, “ We shall take the strongest measures to safeguard the eriiployment of militia members,” Mr Menzies declared. “ All these proposals represent, the adoption by the Government of recommendations by the Military Board. “ These steps will cost many millions of pounds, but we know yon are prepared to face jt, and that you wish us to take the steps I have indicated, and to take any further steps that may become necessary.” CABINET’S HEAVY TASK. Some people, no doubt with the best intentions, were apparently trying to create the impression that the Government had an easy-going attitude in this matter, Mr Menzies said. The facts were just the contrary. Be had never before been associated with men who worked harder than the members of the present Cabinet, who are working from 12 to 14 hours a day. “It is true,” he added, “that you might not see so much rush and bustle, but that is because our plans and preparations are, as a rule, immeasurably more forward than when wo entered the war in 1014. We have more men in training in Australia than at this stage of the last war, ami are hotter equipped in munitions and ordnance. “In 1914-15, 11 months of that period being in the war, Australia spent £15.000.000 on the war, of which only £640,000 was from revenue. in 1915-16. with the war in full blast and large forces oversea, we spent £41,000.000, of which less than £4,000,000 was from revenue. “ This year, 1939-40, the first year of this war, we "’ill spend not £15,000.000 hut more than £40,000.000, of which at least £14.000,000 will come from revenue. In other words, the first, year of this war is already assumed to cost nearly three times as. much as the first year of the last war.

“TRUST THE GOVERNMENT.” “ I need not add that T do not say with iinv pleasure: hut it completely destroyed the ill-founded and uamagmg suggestion that Australia is hanging back and that its Government is not alive to its responsibilities. “ If you' are to get the best out of your Government at a time like this, trust it. Our task is not an easy one. nor is it made any easier by carping and damaging criticism that we, as a Government, do not realise our duty and our responsibility.” “ Kipht members of the present Federal Cabinet served in the Great War,” Mr Menzies concluded. “ We

have the best available information and advice. Our decisions on all. these matters represent, and have represented, the deliberate views of the whole Cabinet. Wo will do our best, and we are. confident of success, because wo feel that the Australian people are united on all things that matter, and are prepared to see it through.”