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Dr. Evatt Opposed
as Labor Leader,
But Has 64-20 Win
CANBERRA, Tuesday. — Labor caucus today re-elected.
Dr. Evatt party leader by 64 votes to 20 in a ballot in which -
he was unexpectedly opposed by Mr. Tom Burke : (Lab.,
W.A.). . . .-" ."
Mr. Calwell was re-elected Deputy Leader unopposed, ...
1 . C . m . . TU,_T/' ' .J Aw I IM TTlVtll'#'
Dul senator iuciveiixia9 .mi uruciu suppuna ui :
held his post of Senate Leader only after a drawn ballot -
against Senator Ashley (Lab., N.S.W.).
Voting in the first
ballot for S e n a t e
Leader was 43 all, with
two informal, but in
the second ballot Sena-
tor MCJAenna won uy to
votes to ' 41, with one'
informal/vote. .v .
The result of the
voting . is regarded in
Parliamentary Labor
Circles as a great rever
sal for Dr. Evatt and
many niciuuota uiauiibu
later that it was the
writing on the wall.
It was Mr. Burke's ac
tion in 1950 that led to
the Federal executive of
the A.L.P. changing; its
attitude to the onus of
proof clauses in the Com-
munist Party Dissolution
Bill.
Senator ""Ashley's hard
fight against Senator .Mc-
Kenna is hailed as an-,
other victory for the
growing antl-Evatt group:
in the party. ,
Riimnvc . .
Before caucus met at
2.30 'this afternoon the
lobbies were packed with
Labor members discus-,
sing the rumors that Dr.:
Evatt was to be opposed. :
IVifcUiy Ui UJ.1C111 CiiUCiCU
the party room refusing
to believe the rumors.
When Mr. Burke told
his associates this morn-
ins of his Intentions an
attempt was made to dis
suade him.
However, he is report
ed to have said he was
displeased with . the vadr
ministration rpf'/the, party :
un.der.Dr. Evatt' and'had'
.decided' to test the .feel-
./lng of the party.
;; It is believed the Vic
torian vote figured large
ly in the 20 votes given
to Mr. Burke. ,
\ Dr. Evatt's extrava
gant election promises
had been roundly criti
cised by many of the
rank arid/file, and no
doubt resentment at
them influenced the
vote against him to
day. "'
' But, more . important
than" this ; factor, - many
meriibers ' are claiming
that .the, Labor failure in
the recent elections has
demonstrated openly
Wiiou uau uccu uiiiy a
suspicion ' hitherto — -that
the two' vital States of
Victoria and Queensland
will never vote Labor,
back into power with Dr.
Evatt ,as leader.
Before today there had
been , a lot of behirid-the-
sqenes moves to persuade
Mr. Reg. Pollard. (Vic.) to
stand against Dr. Evatt
for the leadership, but
Mr. Pollard has been
resolute in his refusal to
do so..
Party Whip
The retiring Labor
Whip, Mr. Daly (Lab.,
N.S.W.), was opposed by
Mr. C ur tin (Lab.,
N.S.W.), but retained his
office by 53 votes to 35.
Potential candidates
against Dr. Evatt include
Mr. Daly; Mr. Allan
Fraser (N.S.W.) and Mr;
Nelson Lemmon, who was
a Minister, in the; Chif-
ley .Government, lost' his
West Australian seat in
i949 ..and returned to
Parliament on May 29 last
when he won the Sydney
metropolitan seat of: St.'.
George from the Liberals.
! Senator Armstrong
(N.S.W.) - retained the
Deputy Leadership of the
party in . the Senate when1
he ".defeated Senator
O'Flaherty." (S.A.) by 47/
votes.- to. 41. ,
: Senator John Critchley
,(S.A.) , was - returned as
party whip in tne senate
unopposed.
1 Executive
The exhaustive Y bal
loting: for. membership of.
the parliamentary party
executive of 14 lasted
throughout the late af-.
. ternoon ana tne evening
session.
Dr. 'Evatt, Mr. Calwell
and Senators McKenna
and 'Armstrong . became
executive members aut07
matically on their . elec-
tion to . omce .ana . tne
first ballot returned five
former executive mem
bers, Messrs. Chambers
(S.A.), Clarey.. .-.(Vic.),;
Fraser (N.S.W.), /Pollard
(Vic.) ; and Ward
(N.S.W.).
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