Evening star., 1942-01-26
Churchill Is Warned
Of Intrigue in Own
Party 10 Unseat Him
Press Demands Cabinet
Changes and Other
Steps in War Effort
BY tire Associated Press.

/
LONDON. Jan. 26.-The strange
| spectacle of Communists and
other Leftists-with whom Winston
| Churchill has shown scant patience
warning the Prime Minister
against intrigues within his own
Conservative party to unseat him,
unfolded last night as the nation
awaited the three-day war debate
in Commons.
AS time approached for the show
down between Mr.. Churchill and his
critics, the press without dissenting
voice called for new faces in the
cabinet, creation of some form of
Imperial War Council to satisfy
Australian demands, concentration
of all war production under a single
head and assurances of greater effort
in the western Pacific region.
From almost every critic came
assurances that Mr.. Churchill never
was more popular personally. but
there was the equally widespread
feeling. in the unvarnished words of
one editorial, that our war machine
stlll carries too many duds and
deadheads."
AuStralla's pleas for quick help and
greater voice in the empires war
strategy brought varied reactions.
including dismay in some quarters.
Il hate to see the dominion's pre-
mier John Curtin appealing stimuli
taneously to the President of the
United States and the Prime Min
lister OF Britain" Beverly Baxter. a
Conservative member of Parliament.
commented in newspaper article.
1T breaks tradition of a century
and cuts the cord of unity I am
sorry Mr.. Curtin has seen fit to make
a direct appeal to Washington"
The widely-read Reynolds News
! suggested that Mr.. Churchill's de-
tense against criticisms of Setbacks
on the Pacific front will be made
easier by Americas frank admis-
/ sion Of the failure of her Pearl
Harbor chiefs" because. it said. lit
has been an open secret that our
own setbacks were in large measure
/ due to the absence of promised sup
! port from America"
This fact" it added. explains
why the Malayan coast was left open
to japanese attack and was partly
responsible for the lack of protec-
tion for the Prince of Wales and
the Repulse.'
Mr.. Churchill's decision to ask for
a vote of confidence if his govern
ment were challenged gained Signif-
lcance through reports that Con-
servative wheelhorses were trying to
dissuade him from such course.
D. N. Pritt, member of Parliament
whose Leftist views brought a de-
mand less than year ago from the
Labor Party that he resign from it.
told Help-for- Russia meeting that
"lntrlgues are afoot to get rid OF
Mr.. Churchill and install in his
place reactionary Prime Minister
who would later on make a bargain
with German reactionaries claiming
to be free of Hitler's bad qualities
One columnist. referring to what
he called an ''ultimatum" from the
Conservatives. declared he might
become again man with a public
and no party if he rejected the
/ threat and like Chamberlain. a
man with party and no public if
he accepted it.
The lobby correspondent of the
usually well-informed Press Associ-
alton predicted, however. that nc
more than so votes against the gov
eminent can be expected and that
Mr.. Churchill. therefore. will come
out with an impressive showing OF
support.