The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-19
AUSTRALIA HAS
 INTERNAL FIGHT
Prime Minister Curtin in Battle With His Bitter
 Opponents

Melbourne, Aug. 19-'(UP)-Prime Minister John Curtin charged today that Japuan had advance warning of the Solomon Island attack through statements by members of his political opposition.
 His charge precipitated serious political crisis at moment when the United States forces were still fighting hard to extend their grip on the southern Solomons and Aus tralia looked at any moment for a Japanese diversional attack on the continent.
 T am more than ever convinced that the Japanese had some knowl- edge of the Solomons attack" Cur tin said at Brisbane. There were men yelling for offensives when they knew that offensives were being un- dertaken."
 It had been immediately after the Solomons attack by United States naval and marine forces that the first great Allied offensive in the Pacific had been planned for two months and that members of the war cabinet, including opposition ists, were aware of 1t.
 Opponents Retort
 Oppositionists retorted at once that the fact that the Solomons landing took the Japanese complete ly by surprise was an implicit refu- 4aA{ox, ar fN,,rAi,,1 1r oIoovno
 Curtin said that when Parliament met September 1 at Canberra he would immediately bring the politi- cal crisis to the floor and demand a vote of confidence.
 He holds a majority of but two members in the lower house, and two of his men actually are inde- pandents, not members of his labor party.
 Oppositionists led by w. M. Hughes of the United Australia party already had planned at the opening of Parliament to attack Curtin by means of criticism of the administration of two of his cab- inet members, John J. Dedman, war organization, and Edward J. Ward, labor and national service.
 Members of the opposition had complained both of censorship and of the failure of Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur's United Nations command to prevent a Japanese landing in the Coma -Buna area of New Guinea.
 Working Agreement
 There had been working agree ment between Curtin's labor party and the opposition since Curtin took over last October 6, but there was every indication now that it had broken down.
 T accept full responsibility to Parliament for the decisions of cen- sors," Curtin said at Brisbane "The government is either right or wrong. If it is wrong it should be put out.
 T am not going to be mucked about by these people who want to stage comeback for decadent political party which represents the interests of profit mongers and landlords. CThe United Australia party).
 "These are the boyc Uho gre do- ing the spragging (obstructirg). I am prepared to accept the verdict. I expect the support of all sections of the country.
 My government has organized Australia for war as it never has been organized before. l regard my government as the best one pro- duceable for Australia in this time of peril.'
 Opposition Leader Fadden, whom Curtin succeeded as premier, and who also is at Brisbane, replied:
 T strongly resent Curtin's per- sonal criticisms. The opposition will not be deterred by threats from its duty of criticizing constructively. We are not out to defeat or ob- struct the government but to cor rect its biases, especially its at tempts to introduce socialism by the back door"
 Members of the opposition should promptly consider their position on the war council" said Robert C.. Menzies, former prime minister, of the United Australia party. It IS unpardonable that they should be publicly accused by plain innuendo of using their knowledge of pending operations to yell for offensives. Let Curtin out of sheer petulance plunge the country into an election and see what the country thinks of I,i