LOYALTY TO BRITAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 February 1942, Page 3

LOYALTY TO BRITAIN

AFFIRMED BV MR CURTIN STATEMENTS VIGOROUSLY DENIED. CONDUCT OF PACIFIC WAR. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, February 2. Vigorously denying statements that his Government or Australians generally were lacking in complete loyalty to Britain, the Prime Minister, Mr Curtin, before leaving for Canberra today, said that since the war began nothing had been said or done which had for its purpose anything but the consolidation of the fighting power of Britain and Australia.

“I am amazed and shocked,” he said, “at allegations or doubts regarding the complete unity of the whole Australian and British peoples, and what is true of the peoples is true of the Government. It has always been the policy of the enemy to drive a wedge between the Motherland and the Dominions. No Australian and no Briton can be a party to such an obvious device. Loyalty now requires works, not words. All that the Government has done has been to ask, in the conduct of the Pacific war, that there be a Pacific War Council, and in respect to the total war, that there be scope for Australia’s voice being heard when the Imperial War Cabinet is making important decisions. I am unable to discover any disloyalty to our Empire or our Allies in projects of that kind.” As an unconditional gift for defence purposes, Messrs B. J. Ball and R. H. Lane, directors of B. J. Ball, Ltd., Melbourne, today handed Mr Curtin a cheque for £9OOO. A covering letter said: “We admire the firm and unflinching attitude you have taken up and are with you in everything you have said and done regarding the defence of Australia. We believe that there are thousands of Australian firms who, like ourselves, have an accumulation of funds which they cannot with advantage use in trading.” Mr Curtin said he was deeply touched by the donors’ spirit. The firm’s lead could be taken as an example to all.