Army News (Darwin, NT : 1941 - 1946), Wednesday 26 July 1944, page 4


AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER PROPRIETOR SAYS ENGLAND IS NOW(

THINKING FAR AHEAD The great victory which was now coming our way was a victory, for British ideas,- British character, British freedoms, and all those British, qualities so 'brilliantly.enumerated' and glorified in the speeches at the Imperial Conference ini London, in the writings, of the press, and in the comments of all free peoples of the world. '

This was among the many vivid things which Sir Keith Murdoch found in his visit abroad, and of which' he spoke at a reception tendered him by the Lord Mayor, Cr. Nettlefold, at .the. Melbourne .Town Hall on Sunday. Sir Keith Murdoch said that -Britain, with its' fine' fighting core 'at its' top, had among its leaders men who were thinking- a long way ahead and leading the world in plans for the future. There was no party there which did not insist that there should be full employment and full organisation of production for the benefit of all. Britain had already made its first great educational .reform by a joint team of Labour men and Conservatives; it had housing plans which would employ a million and a half men,. and it also had fine cultural schemes. "They all take a great interest in Australia," Sir Keith Murdoch said. ''The Service chiefs know our prob. lems very thoroughly, aftd they, are going to put into this ocean, as 'soon as. they possibly can, a force up' to the maximum that is. needed. They were very regretful that they were not along. side us in our darkest days. That is one reason why the British people were so "delighted to hear' Mr Curtin make those excellent speeches on --that sideof the world. MESSAGE OF UNITY "Mr Curtin did Aiustralia a very considerable service, which was a comfort to 'the hearts of the British people," Sir Keith Murdoch added. "Hi-s speeches vere Australia's message of "unity and still more unity. No one could have gone further than Mr Curtin ,in acclaiming the indivisibility of British life in Melbourne and British life in London." -Sir Keith Murdloch .said that, once one -got across the Indian Ocean travel' ,was not so difficult. By" taking that hop he -had been -admitted : to-'membership

of the "Secret Order of the Double 'Sunrise,'' which meant that one had, seen two sunrises without alighting in between. . The British and American 'Cov.ernments between them-- maintained a fantastic service called the Army Transport Service. If priorities could i be obtained - and he. was given. -a wonderful priority - one could-. .travel :anywhere. Field. Marshal Smuts had ,told him that he could tell the people of Australia that - their strategic position; was impossible in the future without a barrier of strength to the.north and without. the most rapid .development of strength from within. CASEY DOING SUPERB JOB. Mr and Mrs Casey were doing a superb job in a quiet way in' India. Hl-le. (Sir Keith Murdoch) did not think that' Australia gave nearly enough attention to these great Asiatic countries ,in the way of study, and putting in. our point of view in. the. Empire councils when momentous 'questions greatly affecting Australians and their children were de= " -cided.