ALL-IN WAR EFFORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 June 1940, Page 6

ALL-IN WAR EFFORT

DISCUSSED IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STATEMENTS BY PARTY LEADERS. MR FRASER’S DECLARATION. OF POLICY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The opinion of the Government that it had taken the right course in its war effort and its desire to have the assistance of any section of the community that could help were expressed by the Prime Minister, Dlr Fraser, in reply to a statement made by the Loader of the Opposition, Mr Hamilton, just before the House of Representatives rose yesterday for the weekend. Mr Hamilton had stated that “our present disunited condition” could not be allowed to drag on without very serious effects to whatever effort the Dominion had to make. After referring to the possibility of the Address-in-Reply debate ~ being abandoned because of the exceptional circumstances in which Parliament was meeting, Mr Hamilton said it had been made clear by the British Prime Minister, Mr Churchill, and other British statesman that if Britain’s Allies went down Britain did not go down, and that if Britain herself was starved or subjugated the Empire did not go down. “That is,” Mr Hamilton added, “if Britain goes down we do not go down. Nothing could be more clear to us than that message to stand together in this country as one people to justify the part we will have to play in such a policy of no-surrender. DEMAND FOR ACTION. “We have been assured by the Government that regulations implementing every phase of that all-in policy will come into effect immediately without equivocation on any point,” Mr Hamilton said, in referring to the Emergency Act passed last week. “The people of the Dominion are in no mood for indefiniteness or delay. They demand frankness and action. On behalf of the Opposition. I want to say this with crystal clarity: ‘All-in’ means ‘everything in’ or it means nothing at all. No one—not even the Government —can hang back a minute.”

The House had been assured that the Act meant that no one would be able to hang back a minute, whether in property, Wealth, or personal service, Mr Hamilton added. The Opposition desired that and agreed wholeheartedly with its inspiration. The success of such an all-in measure depended on its administration, which must be fair, just, and demanding equal sacrifice. “This is the hour for inspiring leadership through which our work and feeling may be absolutely united,” Mr Hamilton proceeded. “In this crisis the lead must come from the Government and Parliament. All I can say is that, in my opinion, the Opposition has proved its sincerity in its offer to be all-in with the war effort, with no qualifications or conditions concerned with domestic politics or partisanship but “all-in for the country.’ ” LEADERSHIP AND UNITY. The welling up of patriotic fervour evidenced by the recent meetings held throughout the Dominion must receive united leadership just as leaders today were entitled to expect united effort, Mr Hamilton said. The immediate decision and- lead must come from the Government. Two things were essen-tial-unity and action. “This House has to become, in my opinion, the Great Council of the Realm, uniting the people,” Mr Hamilton concluded. ‘lf it cannot receive the leadership necessary to achieve that end because of the selfishness and bitterness of human frailty, then I say, God help this part of the British Empire.” There could not be any difference of opinion with the general tenor of Mr Hamilton’s remarks, said the Prime Minister, when he rose to reply. There was no doubt that what was wanted today was national unity, together with prompt action and efficient administration. but the question was how to bring that about in the most effective way.

“The Government offered to set up an organisation which was not necessarily confined to the Opposition because we do not imagine for a moment that national unity begins and ends with this House,” Mr Fraser added. “Consequently I gave various interests in the country which are anxiously concerned in the present situation full opportunity of taking part in the war effort. The Government announced its intention of setting up a War Council, but the Opposition, using its inherent right to examine and discuss any proposal, has indicated through the Leader of the Opposition that it does not favour this course.” Mr Hamilton and he had discussed’ .the proposal repeatedly in the past few days, the Prime Minister said, and the sum total of these discussions would be submitted to the respective parties. He wished to say again, however, that he could not imagine anyone imagining that national unity began and ended with Parliament, and he earnestly asked that the Government’s proposal, which it believed to be the most effective way of meeting the position, should be examined along with any other proposal, during the next week. “There can be no doubt that if the all-in legislation is not to be implemented it is a delusion and a sham,” Mr Fraser added. “Consequently the Government proposes, whether with the co-operation of the Opposition, and others, or just as the Government, to push on with it as fast as is absolutely necessary. To say that, it can be implemented tomorrow or the day after is to ask the impossible, but tne Government is anxious to receive any suggestions from members of the House as to how it can go forward with the work.

“We feel we have taken the right course,” the Prime Minister concluded. “We will adopt any practical suggestions and we want the help of any section of the community that can assist.”