The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-02-04
Oratorical Admirer Calls Him
Mr.. Winston Roosevelt Curtin

Though the United States Is
united with Australia In q
war-for-survival in the Pacif-
ic, few Americans have more
than the barest headline &C
quaintance with the mild
hammered, little publicized
chief executive Of that sprawl
ling, continental Common
wealth. Presented herewith Is
Prime Minister John Curtin,
"in profile"
BY NEA Service
"Mr. Winston Roosevelt Cur
tin"-that's the tag an oratorical
admirer pinned on the Prime
Minister of Australia a few
months ago.
The tag didn't stick. There
simply aren't enough traits in
common between plain, plain
spoken Jack" print
er's devil, exporters hand, ex-
union henchman-and the two
smooth political aristocrats of
Downing Street and Pennsylvan-
la Avenue.
But the idea behind the
composite name did stick, after
! fashion. The idea was that the
Commonwealths slight, profess
sorial-appearing chief executive
must now be recognized as a
world figure and as a surprising
ly inspired and inspiring war
time leader. And he doesn't
need TO be labeled another
f. D. r." He can stand on his
own legs. He always has.
However, few of his country
men up to a year ago saw Jack
Curtain as other than. an honest
and level-headed labor chieftain,
4 wheel-horse politician, reti-
cent man notable more for his
party loyalties than for qualities
Of real leadership. So he aston
ished friends and critics alike
when he moved dynamically
and assuredly into his stern role
rs Australia's Man of Destiny.
NO SUICIDE SQUADS
THE fall of Singapore is Aus
tralia's Dunkirk," he solemnly
warned his countrymen after
that Malayan disaster Our
honeymoon is finished: it is now
work or Highland work or
tight as we have never worked
Or fought before
And to work in the p. M S
ornate office went Jack Curtin
himself-in his shirt-sleeves, US
ually; seven days week, and al
most all the waking hours OF
each day.
No time, now for slow walks
through Canberras broad, tree
fringed boulevards, indulging in
political chit-chat with his GRO
MES. Little time to spend At
home with his wife and two chill
dren. Just work, and more
work.
First, he put the critics-for-
criticism sake in their places.
II am not going TO make our
fighting men mere suicide
squads to satisfy laxative arm
chair strategists," he sharply in
formed political opponents who
were yelling for offensives
when they knew offensives were
being undertaken" And II
shall say nothing of our war
plans. The enemy already
knows too much, due to long
years of loose talking and think
Ing and irresponsible criticism"
CLICKS WITH MACARTHUR
But Australians listen when
ever lifetime civilian Jack Cur
tin does speak militarily. They
recall that for many years he
has demanded strong home de-
tense as being the most effective
way in which Australia could
contribute to the war effort of
the whole Empire. And with
vision remarkable even in 1887,
he gambled his party's chances
In the national election by spon-
soring a program ealing for TO-
900 war planes instead of war
ships for the Commonwealth.
He apparently works we'll
with General Macarthur. Cuc-
tin always has insisted-some-
times in language that may have
sounded blunt to military ears in
London's Whitehall-that Aus
tralia must have a full say in
holding the Pacific sirategies of
the democraeies: mo nation can
afford to submerge the right OF
speaking for itself because of