POLITICAL UPSET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 February 1943, Page 4

POLITICAL UPSET

THREATENED IN AUSTRALIA OVER MILITIA BILL. FEDERAL OPPOSITION DIVIDED. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The Australian political situation has been seriously complicated by the decision of the Senate Opposition to attempt to secure an amendment to the National Emergency Act to enable a general election on the militia issue, which is being widely discussed. A former Prime Minister (Mr R. G. Menzies) has resigned from the Opposition executive and anothei member of the War Council, Mr P. C. Spender, has also placed his resignation in the hands of the Opposition executive. Both men took this action after they had tried unsuccessfully to induce a joint meeting of the Opposition parties to reverse their previous decision against any amendments to the Government’s Militia Bill. It has also been announced that Mr Menzies will move an amendment to the Militia Bill. A second amendment is to be moved by an Independent member, Mr Coles. Political observers believe that the result of these events may be a major split on the Opposition side of the House, possibly resulting in two Opposition sections, one comprising the bulk of the present Opposition as led by Mr Fadden, with the other led by Mr Menzies. . “It is obvious to Opposition members that Mr Menzies and Mr Spender have both changed their original attitude because of a Press campaign and other influences outside Parliament, ’ writes the “Sydney Morning Herald” political correspondent today. “Some critics also associate the move with the formation in Melbourne of a new party described as the Ex-Service Men’s Party. Ever since he resigned from the Prime Ministership, Mr Menzies’s attitude has been generally one of non-co-operation either with the Government or with his own leader, Mr Fadden.” “Messrs Menzies and Spender are doing even worse than turning this issue over to domestic strife,” declares the “Sydney Morning Herald” editorially. “How far thej( will split the Opposition depends upon the loyalty and good sense of the rank and file of its two component parties. The truth remains that Mr Curtin has brought the Labour Party, despite _ all precedent, to endorse a vitally important principle —that the area of service by citizen forces shall not be confined to Australian territory, but shall be enlarged to cover service abroad, in accordance with national needs. To precipitate an election over the limits of such service would arouse needless and ignoble strife, at a time when the nation can least afford to exhibit itself in such disorder. The Opposition should do nothing to cause onnh n ml ami t.v ”

Because of its majority in the Senate, the Opposition is expected to be able to pass quickly through the Senate a Bill removing all restrictions on militia service.

Such a move might possibly lead to the resignation of the Government, or a dissolution of Parliament, though it need not necessarily do so. “Neither Britain nor America has the slightest doubt that Australia will carry out in full its maximum contribution to the Allied cause,” declared the Minister for the Army, Mr Forde, in a national radio talk. Britain and America, he added, regarded the Militia Bill as entirely a domestic issue for Australia.