AN UNFORTUNATE POSTPONEMENT.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 April 1941, Page 4

AN UNFORTUNATE POSTPONEMENT.

an immediate view the decision 01. the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) to postpone until his return from the visit he is about to make to the United Kingdom full consideration of the offer of the Opposition Party to participate in the formation of a, National Government may not seem unreasonable. The existing position, however, is one to which the adage that circumstances alter eases markedly applies. A stage has been reached in the war a! which a supreme effort visibly is demanded from every unit of the British Commonwealth of Nations and everything else pales or should pale into insignificance by comparison. In the normal relationships of our opposed political parties there are various more or less complex elements of disagreement and difference, but what do any of these things mailer al a lime when this country, in common with its Empire partners and allies, is fighting for life and for all fhai makes life worth living?

In his statement, published yesterday, Mr Fraser said he “felt that such a step (the formation of a National Government) al the moment wmdd lead to undesirable confusion and therefore would not promote national unity. ’ Does it not seem, rather, that’a clear call to undivided concentration on the prosecution of the war to victory would be the best and most, hopeful means of ending confusion.' As matters stand, our political parties are agreed broadly upon putting the prosecution of the war above all other considerations, but a certain amount ol' party bickering has gone on recently in ami outside Parliament —bickering that is regarded probably by an overwhelming majority of the people of the Dominion with ninnixed disgust.

The Prime Minister proposes meantime a political truce and stated that “in the opinion of the Government the question of the postponement of the General Election, which might be advisable and even inevitable owing to war developments, would necessarily involve the question ol the formation ol a National Government.” and that neither he nor his colleagues would even suggest the postponement if its only elleet was to retain Hie Government in office.” As an ifpproaeh to action, this is well enough, but with the outlook so far defined does it not seem clear that the right thing Io do would have been to make an end of political divisions, for the period of the war. by bold and immediate action *’