Efforts were made to induce the High Commissioner in London, Mr. Bruce, who is a former Prime Minister, to return to Australia, Mr.
Bruce. however, stated that he would return only to form a national Ministry of all Parties, This was not practicable. and a Party meeting elected Mr. Menzies Leader of the United Australia Party, and prospective Prime Minister.
When the House met, Sir Earle Page, who was then Prime Minister, caused a sensation by announcing ihat his Party would not support Government led by Mr. Menzi Among the reasons he gave for this was the fact that Mr. Menzies had resigned from the Military Forces at ihe beginning of the Great War. This has been a constant embarrassment to Mr. Menzies throughout his political career.
While many Australians share Sir Earle Page's opinion that Mr. Menzies i; nota suitable leader for the nation at the present time, despite his undoubted ability, Sir Earle's attack in the House was a tactical blunder.
United Australia Party members regarded it as an attempt to dictate to the Party in the selection of its own leader, and it provided newspapers supporting Mr. Menzies with an o portunity to charge Sir Earle with personal rancour, Two back-bench members of the Country signed from the Party as a and pledged their support Menzies.
Sir Earle Page then resigned, Mr. Menzies has been obliged to form a Ministry composed wholly of members of the United Australia Party. The new Ministry is in a minority in the House, it Country Party support is withdrawn, M Menzies will be forced out of office.
This is unlikely, because it would involve an election, and by-elections have indicated a definite swing towards Labour, already the largest Party in the House. An election is consequently no more attractive to the Country Party than it is to the Government, Present indications are that the Country Party will support the Government so long as it pays tribute to Country interests, A renewal of the coalition is also considered possible when tempers have had time to cool
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.