WAR POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 June 1940, Page 5

WAR POLICY

FEDERAL PREMIER REPLIES TO CRITICS DEMAND FOR NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. LABOUR PARTY REFUSING CO-OPERATION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. SYDNEY, June 7. The Prime Minister, Mr Menzies addressed a representative gathering of business men in Sydney today. He took the opportunity to reply to his critics who, he said, were “sniping at him in all parts of Australia.”

He complained chiefly about criticism even by his own supporters, who in their clamour for a national government, declared that such a govern.ment would actually be in existence if another Prime Minister were at the head of affairs. Mr Menzies reiterated that a national government worthy of the name must include the political Labour Party. That was at present impossible. The Labour Party resolutely refused to have anything to do with a national government. “You might invite Labour into the Ministry,” he said, “but the moment you hinted that we were likely to bring in conscription you would destroy your chance of getting Labour’s co-operation. I, personally, am not going to participate in a national government if it means that the policy in which you and I believe is to be modified and chopped down to suit the policy of or placate the Opposition. I emphasise that national government can only be brought about at sacrifice of the Empire training scheme and our policy of sending more and more troops abroad.”