Canberra Told Unity Necessary To Win The War

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1942, Page 3

Canberra Told Unity Necessary To Win The War

Special Australian Correspondent.

Pohtical quarrels will hamper strategy.

Rec. 10.30 p.m. Sydney, Aug. 21. This was no time for Australians to fight among themselves, said Sir Earle Page, formerly representative of the Commonwealth Government at London. If the war were to he won there must be complete unity. "Everything else," he said, "must b® subordinated to the job of getting .ready Australia's defence and building up a mighty bastion of democracy within these shores from which the fight can be carried to the enemy." , The Independent member; Mr. Alexander Wilson (Victoria), whose vote can make or break the Federal Government, has made it clear that if the Opposition attacks the Federal Government during the coming Parliamentary session on either the war administration or the censorship issues he will vote for the Government. He declared that the present Government was a vast improvement on its predecessors. Mr. Wilson said he believed censorship

should be applied to prevent any inkling of Allied war strategy Teaching the enemy but, apart from achieving that fundamental need, there should be complete freedom of expression and the I present Australian censorship achieved ; that. ' j The possibility of Opposition members withdrawing from the. Advisory War Council is now being canvassed, but it is generally felt that such a withdrawal by representatives . of parties which have made a national Government an outstanding platform plank would not be favourably interpreted by the puplic.