HOTLY ATTACKED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 January 1943, Page 3

HOTLY ATTACKED

BY NEW YORK PAPERS APPOINTMENT OF NEW MINISTER TO AUSTRALIA. CRITICISM OF PRESIDENT’S CHOICE. *■ (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, January 10.

A few hours after the American announcement that Mr Edward J. Flynn had announced his resignation as chairman of the National Democratic Committee to become Ambassador and personal representative of President Roosevelt, as Minister Plenipotentiary in Australia, Mr Nelson T. Johnson, American. Minister at Canberra for the past 16 months, said he was returning home very soon and would retire from the diplomatic service. Mr Flynn has stated that he expects to leave the United States early in February and that his commission is “more or less a roving one throughout the South Pacific.” It is believed that New Zealand is included in that area.

Breaking precedent when he announced himself as “Minister Plenipotentiary and Mr Roosevelt’s representative in Australia,” Mr Flynn had declared that his duties would not overlap those of Mr Johnson. American diplomatic appointments are always announced by the President after the Senate has approved. The New York “Herald Tribune” and the “New York Times” consider that the Senate may reject Mr Flynn’s appointment, which has caused a considerable protest. “The appointment of Mr Flynn as Minister Plenipotentiary (some sort of unorthodox roving cOmrnision) is an insult to the people of the United States and the people of Australia,” says the New York “Herald Tribune.” There is real need now for an American of high standing, able and sympathetic, to service his country at Canberra. Australians are alarmed about the military and naval effort which the United States is putting-for-ward in the South-West Pacific. They are sensitive about what they feel is insufficient appreciation of their plight. The suggestion that the Prime Minister. Mr Curtin, make a personal trip to Washington to present Australia’s viewpoint suggests a poor J 1 ? 1 ' son between the United States and its Pacific partner. To restore the situation ,thc President proposes to send this very ordinary politician with extraordinary hard luck, to say the least, in matter of certain paving stones. The Grand Jury absolved Mr Flynn from any guilty knowledge that the stolen Having blocks had been used to pave his ‘antique Belgian courtyard.’ but the circumstances were such that Mr Flynn’s political usefulness was regarded as ended. Even if the Senate rejects Mr Flynn—its obvious duty— Mr Roosevelt must bear the onus of having made one of the worst appointments of his career, which includes many bad appointments.” In November, 1941, - the Bronx County Grand Jury investigated reports that paving stones owned by New York City were used to pave the courtyard of Mr Flynn’s estate en

Lake Mahopac, in upper New York State, where the President and Mrs Roosevelt had been guests. Known as the “Sage of Bronx,” Mr Flynn is a handsome six-footer ,and one of America’s best-dressed men. He has been active in politics since 1917, and been a keen worker for Mr Roosevelt during all his Presidential terms. There has been no Australian com. ment on Mr Flynn's appointment which has not yet been officially confirmed Here.

The secretary of the New York Citizens’ Committee comments: “It is shocking to learn that the road to Australia is paved with Belgian blocks.”