STRONG PROTEST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1943, Page 4

STRONG PROTEST

MABE BV THE FEDERAL PREMIER AGAINST NEGLECT OF LATEST WAR LOAN. TRIUMPH FOR SEFISHNESS AND COMPLACENCY. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. Australia’s third Liberty Loan of £100,000,000 is lagging badly. This .was revealed by the Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin) speaking on the adjournment cf the Federal Parliament, when he asked every member to devote all his energies to advancing the progress of the loan. “The slow progress of the loan is an affront to our nationhood,” declared the Prime Minister, in a warm speech. “It represnts a triumph for selfishness and complacency over the obligations of a country in deadly peril. The failure of the loan would represent not only an injury to us as a nation —it would be a severe blow to the United Nations' cause. Hundreds of thousands in the past few days have cheered the Ninth Division, who fought valiantly for us overseas and have returned to fight at home. Is our appreciation of these men to stop at cheering, flag-wagging and lip service? Is a civil population, suffering nothing and sacrificing little, to take refuge in all manner of excuses for failing to measure up to the standard of Australianism which our fighting men have set? It is nonsense to talk of taxation as a reason for nonparticipation in the loan. While racecourses attract records crowds, while outside theatres queues are waiting for admittance, while money is still being spent recklessly on all kinds of things that could and should and must wait, there can be no such excuse as that. Australia must produce tangible evidence of its strength of purpose or this nation cannot with justice put its case to the leaders of the United Nations for assistance to hold out.”