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NO CONSCRIPTION
PLAN
Mr. Menzies to Unions
SPARLIAMENT'S AUTHORITY
SYDNEY. Friday.
The Prime Minister (Mr.. R. Gl. Menzies)
to-day ridiculed suggestions tlhat the nlu
tional register would be used as a means
of military, or industrial conscription.
The Federal Government, lhe said, al
ready lhad power to' call' up moen for mili
tary service under the Defence Act, and
that power' hlad existed for nearly 30
years.. Induetrial awcids were part of
the law of 'the'Commonwealtlh, anid their
repeal could not be effected writhout Par
liamentat? approval.
'o osucht AC was conltemplated, hle
said, referring 'to suggestions that the
Government could set aside union awarde
by means of the register.
The Prime Minister was commenting
upon the points'of opposition to the re
gurter prepared' for the emdrgency com.
ailttee of the 'Australian Council of Trade.
unions by a committee of tile Australian
Council' for Civil'Liberties, which includen
Mr. 1. -M. Blaiekburn, M.II.R. Tlhese
points are contained in a circular lwhichl
lad been 'distrihnted to all unions.
"The whole allegation is based on some
sort 'of idea that some government miay
in .the future in certain circiumstiances of
emergency take action of an unusuial
kinil, aid' Mr. Menzies. "The answer to
that is no government canll take such
action except under tlhe authority of Plar
liament. r Wli'ti stabpo Parliament might
thlnk proper if Australia were actually
invaded. or.'blockaded nobody can pro
plhesy. I can imagine that most people
iuder such 'circlumstances would regard
the most imperative job as being that of
,'ciellng or dispearing. the 'enmy. lut
to discuss it now is to. indicite to me a
perfectly useless anld hypothetical discus-ii
sion whic)h appnears. far the most paert to
be bused on distrust of 'Parliament."
""No Wastage of Skill"
The Government had' had iowdi' to.pro.
claim a state' of war since there.was' a
Caommonivealth, said Mr. Menziea, 'but a
Government which proclaimed a state, of
war when there wasnot onie' would pot
last long in Australia. It was compltely
untrue to say that' the register 'could-be
used to oider one man'.to light and an
other to'work. The purpose of the reais
tir' as to ensure that skilled .labour would
be directed ihto' the right channels. so
that there would be no wastaged oft'.skll
n an emergency; ' ' '''
"Iif:our defence pollcy were baced on
retricting our dlefene purely to Aastra.
lia' piroper,;and not to alny of 'our terriW
tloiles,sluch as Paplua, we-might filndour
selve';, in: tihe event of war almost. sir
roinded by enemy blases in oiir on etrin
toies," he' said, In reply to 'the elaim
thiat thle Government could send men'to
lefenil oversea possessaions of the Com
minwealth . ' ' '
"As thie ;alir. stands., itle 'Government
could'not send men into Government ay.
to?rfies to make war goods: I know of no
law that provides for 'industrial compulll
sion 'of thismlkind, and no' such: law could
in future be made wvitlhout' parliamentary
approval," said Mr. MIenzies. '"Thlis is
merely a bogeyv of the turnip andi sheet
type. Under the present law, T:r.wuld ,not
lke to 'be a memher of a Government
that. tried to. do the)ds things."
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