THE COMMONWEALTH ELECTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24399, 10 September 1940, Page 6

THE COMMONWEALTH ELECTIONS

There has been a general election in Canada since the war began. The polling at a general election in Australia will take place this month. It is probable that a large section of Australian opinion will regret the fact that the minds of the people are to be exercised with issues requiring a choice between political parties at a period in which the whole Empire is engaged in a war involving nothing less than the preservation of its freedom and the maintenance of its existence. Party issues count as the mere dust in the balance in a time of national emergency such as that through which we are now passing. It may weU be doubted, therefore, whether there is any overwhelming reason why the Commonwealth should be thrust into a general election while the war is in progress. There is no disagreement between the main political parties in Australia about the heed for the mobilisation of the great resources of the country in support of the Empire's opposition to Nazi aggression. The policy which the Federal Government, under Mr Menzies, has adopted since the outbreak of the conflict has been directed towards affording the maximum of assistance to the Mother Country. There has been a certain criticism of details of the Government's programme, but unquestionably the effort which the Commonwealth has been making in terms of it has been remarkable in respect of both its volume and its variety. And only in regard- to derails would the war policy of the Australian Labour Party differ from that of the Government. Mr Curtin, Leader of the party, has declared unequivocally that it stands inflexibly in support of the British cause. It does seem to have had some hazy idea at an early stage of the hostilities about the part which Australian troops might take in the.war. It was imperfectly realised by it then that the security of the Commonwealth might be dependent upon the outcome of the operations of the armed forces in Europe, and it was unfavourable to the employment of Australian forces overseas. Its present view is that the extent of the participation of Australian volunteers in European warfare must be determined by circumstances as they arise. This is a welcome modification of its policy which embraces, also, collaboration

in the Empire air scheme, efficient national training under the Defence Act, maximum industrial production through the absorption of all employable labour, and planned acceleration of war and other services. But although in most essentials its war policy accords fairly closely with that of the Government, the Labour Party has firmly rejected all the overtures that have been made to it for the establishment of a National War Ministry. It is, it may be assumed, partly because of the failure to secure the .formation of such a Ministry that the Government is seeking during the war a mandate from the people for the prosecution of a supreme effort which shail not be hampered by the intrusion of mere party issues. A wide choice of candidates is being presented to the electors. The average number of aspirants to each contested seat will be about four. This is due partly to the presence of three Labour Parties in the field and partly to the fact that the United Australia and Country parties have on this occasion not endorsed pai'ticular candidates, but are leaving it to their supporters, by the exercise of their preference votes, to select, as is hoped, the most eligible of those who are offering their services on behalf of the Government.