WAR CABINET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1940, Page 7

WAR CABINET

PROPOSALS DEFENDED BY MR NASH HOPE THAT UNITY MAY YET BE ACHIEVED. UNFRIENDLY ATTITUDE. DENIED. (Ey Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day, A denial I hat there was anything' unfriendly in the attitude of the Governuient to th<‘ Opposition over the War Cabinet ne<>'otiations was made by the Minister of Finance. Mr Nash, when replying, in the House of Representatives last night, to the debate on the Imprest Bill. The Minister added that he was still hopeful of unity being achieved.

“The Prime Minister, when discussing this matter with the Leader of the Opposition, was simple, honest and clean in his desire to bring about unity,” Mr Nash said. “It has been suggested that the attitude adopted was unfriendly and that those invited into the War Cabinet would be' intruders. That is not so, and I hope the negotiations will still be successful, for in spite of any feelings we may have of a political nature there is nothing more important at present than that we should get the people of the Dominion solidly behind the Government's war effort.”

It was questionable whether there had ever been a time in the history of the country when the people were more united in heart, the Minister added, and they were determined to retain all they held dear. It was just as desirable today as it was a month ago or six months ago that there should be complete unity, and he hoped it might yet be achieved. The Pirme Minister had made it as clear as possible that the War Cabinet would take charge of the fighting services both abroad and at home, as well as the manpower associated with them. "You can’t run. an army unless you have the manpower to run it,” Mr Nash added.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Hamilton: "You can’t run an army unless you feed it.” Complete control of the activities associated with the fighting services was to be given to the War Cabinet, the Minister continued, and the Ministers to join that Cabinet would have been the Ministers authorised by Cabinet to approve all policies they had the power to control as well as the finance associated with those.

"It is important that if we are to go- ahead we should get the whole ot me people behind us,' Mr Nash added, “and I want to make it clear that there was no suggestion of low positions being given to the members ot the Opposition joining the War Cabinet. They were to be given ministerial positions without portfolio, and were asked to come in so that we might unify the political as well as the economic side of our national life.”