CREED OF AUSTERITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 March 1943, Page 4

CREED OF AUSTERITY

IMPOSED BY MATHEMATICS OF WAR MR. CURTIN ON PACIFIC CONFLICT. NEED OF MORE AIRCRAFT AND SHIPS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, March 30. (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) “I preach austerity, not from any standpoint of moral principle or any desire to impose some Puritanical concept on the people, but from sheer mathematics that the war imposes on us. Going without for the nextUew years is the con'tribution the civil population will make to winning the war.”—The Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, made this statement in addressing returned soldiers here. The Federal Premier stressed Australia’s manpower difficulties and said Australia’s defensive capacity was now practically at the maximum which the country’s resources permitted. Mr. Curtin again defended with spirit his Government’s continued insistence on maximum aid for the Southern Pacific. “We need equipment, especially fighting and transport aircraft and ships,” he said. “They increase the efficiency of our war effort and have an immedite effect in reducing the efficiency of the enemy. They could impose a very rapid deterioration in his strength. The time which would elapse from the defeat of Hitler to the completion of the Pacific struggle would be greatly reduced. Japan’s caapcity to aid the European Axis would immediately be reduced. That would be a positive contribution to the global struggle.”. The Prime Minister again acknowledged the assistance already received from the United Nations, but emphasised the necessity for building up Allied striking power in both China and Australia, both of which countries were vital to ultimate success against Japan. CARE OF RETURNED MEN. The extent of the preferences which should be accorded returned soldiers at present a subject of critical controvery in the Australian Parliament, was also discussed ,by Mr. Curtin. “I believe there should be preference for those soldiers who deserve preference,” he said, “but there are many soldiers in this war who have done nothing but wear uniform. They have done nothing the civilians have not done. The country owes it to fighting men to treat them not only justly, but generously. There are the men who fly civil planes at great danger to themselves in combat areas. There are,men who face hourly peril in the merchant marine. These men are as much fighters for King and Country as uniformed men who sit at desks in barracks.”