A LOS OBREROS Y A LAS OBRERAS
VIII. EDUCACIÓN MORAL, INTELECTUAL Y PROFESIONAL A DAR A LOS NIÑOS.
Prologue
Labor’s Ben Chifley and the Country Party’s Arthur Fadden between them held the treasurership from 1940 to 1958, almost a fifth of the 20th century. They held the office in a period where the transition from accounting to Keynesian macroeconomic management, to which Theodore had pointed the way, was realised. By the end of Fadden’s second stint as treasurer fiscal policy had been directed at an inflationary boom and a fully-fledged central bank was being established. Both became unchallenged leaders of their parties but more tellingly they were also personally popular with their political opponents and personally respected in their performance as treasurer even by those who disagreed with their policies.
Both men were well regarded as treasurers. Indeed, both have hailed as among our greatest ever, with Chifley hailed as a reformer and Fadden as a manager.641 This is despite Chifley handing over an inflation rate approaching 10 per cent in 1949 and inflation peaking under Fadden at an all-time high of over 20 per cent in 1952. They both also served as prime minister and opposition leader.
Chifley was recalled as 'a prodigious worker'.642 Evatt said 'I do not suppose there has
been a man in public life who has worked harder'.643 Reid (1961a, p 13 and 1980a, p 366)
described Fadden too as 'a hard working treasurer'.
641Gough Whitlam (1991, p 30) called Chifley ‘if not the world’s greatest treasurer, at least Australia’s
greatest’. Golding (1996, p 126) remarks 'there are many who would argue that Chifley was in fact one of Australia's very great treasurers'. One of his colleagues, Holloway (c1954, p 100), calls Chifley our ‘best treasurer’ and MacCallum (2014a, p 118) remarks ‘many still regard him as Australia’s best treasurer’. The argument for Fadden being ranked highly is that, as Professor Ross Garnaut commented, 'if the role of the treasurer is primarily one of maintaining economic stability, then the people who have presided over long periods of stable growth have to get high marks'; The Age, 9 May 2005, p 4. Whitington (1964, p 151) judged him as 'by far the best treasurer Menzies could have had' but not of the calibre of Chifley or Theodore. Hasluck (1985, p 189) reports that Wilson and Randall thought Fadden was the best treasurer they had had (which would put him ahead of Holt, McMahon, Bury and Snedden).
642A public servant cited by Day (2001, p 389). He was described as living in ‘almost hermit-like seclusion’
as treasurer; Denning (c1952a, p 10). There is an example of an 83-hour working week in Sunday Telegraph, 8 April 1945.
137
Table 6.1: The parallel lives of Ben Chifley and Arthur Fadden
Ben Chifley Arthur Fadden
Born Sept 1885 April 1894
Elected to local government 1933 1930
Elected to state parliament n.a. 1932
First elected to federal parliament Nov 1928 Dec 1936 First appointment as minister March 1931 April 1940
Treasurer Oct 1941 – Dec 1949 Oct 1940 – Oct 1941;
Dec 1949 – Dec 1958
Opposition leader Feb 1950 – June 1951 Oct 1941 – Sept 1943
Prime minister July 1945 – Dec 1949 Aug 1941 – Oct 1941
Died June 1951 April 1973
Both men were noted for their familiarity with economics and finance, although to differing degrees. Fadden was described by Coombs (1981, p 154) as ‘interested in economic and financial issues’. Country Party historian and friend of Fadden, Ulrich Ellis (2007, p 253) said that Fadden ‘in his leisure hours devoured government reports and financial papers’. While the majority view is that Fadden was ‘no intellectual’, Arklay (2014, p 1) believed he ‘possessed an inquiring mind’. It has been suggested Fadden had a ‘deeper intellect and sensitivity than he was willing to disclose to the public’.644
It was said of Chifley that ‘his interests were economic and financial. They were almost exclusively economic and financial.’645 Indeed, Chifley’s wife recalled that it was a
frequent topic of conversation when they were courting.646 Nugget Coombs, who worked
644 Sir John Carrick, cited by Arklay (2010, p 28).
645Holt (1969, p 51). Palmer (1940, p 208) called him ‘preoccupied’ with finance. Senior public servant
Breen (1974, p 228) characterised him as 'a thinker well above the average in finance'. Ryan (2004, pp 84-85) refers to Chifley's extensive reading, especially of Keynes. Green (1959, p 39) recalled him reading widely, particularly on history and world affairs. At the time of his death he still kept in his study a copy of Shann and Copland’s (1931b) compendium of key economic documents related to the Depression.
646 Crisp (1960, p 8). In Ellis and McLachlan's (2005, p 21) play about Chifley, he says of his wife 'what I
138
closely with Chifley, refers to his ‘considerable mental aptitude for financial and economic matters’ but added that this was ‘developed by good solid hard work’.647 Even
his opponent Menzies agreed that Chifley ‘mastered the techniques of public finance’.648
More recent writers also refer to Chifley's ‘quite remarkable grasp of finance’.649 Chifley
was not blinded by economics, however, once observing that ‘economic research is not an exact science…academic theorists bring into their findings their own pet ideas’.650
Despite their policy differences, Fadden and Chifley got on well with ‘a shared knowledge and understanding of finance and their temperamental compatibility’.651
Chifley and Fadden were also popular with the public. Neither were pompous nor formal, and they were known as ‘Chif’ and ‘Artie’. As Arklay (2014, p 213) remarked, ‘like Ben Chifley, Arthur Fadden seemed to understand the average Australian’. One side of Fadden’s sociability was that he could be a prodigious drinker but Arklay’s (2014, pp 183-4) judgement is that, at least until near the end of his career, it very rarely affected his performance as treasurer.
Neither man was regarded as a silver-tongued orator but both were effective communicators. Fadden could be quite nervous when presenting his budgets652 but had a reputation as a good raconteur with a fund of anecdotes on which he could draw and some good quips. Chifley’s voice became increasingly raspy over the years as addressing many outdoor public meetings in poor weather took its toll.653
647 Melbourne Herald, 11 August 1976; Coombs (1970, p 46).
648 Menzies (undated). On the ABC TV programme Mr Prime Minister (broadcast 25 May 1966), Menzies
recalled that Chifley 'had the most acute mind – he got on top of Treasury and economic problems in the most remarkable way'.
649Golding (1996, p 126). Reid (1951b, p 20) wrote ‘in his way he was a financial genius’. Day (2001, p 235)
described Chifley as 'deeply interested in economic matters'. Edwards (2005, p 81) believes, however, that Curtin was more widely read in economics than was Chifley.
650Hansard, 11 March 1929, p 988. 651 Enid Lyons (1972a, p 98).
652 Heather Henderson, daughter of Menzies, cited in Acklay (2014, pp 64, 174). A parliamentary colleague,
Jo Gullett (1992, p 247), recalled ‘his choice of words was not good, he tended to repetition and his voice, while clear and strong, was monotonous’. Cox (1968, p 2) recalled ‘Fadden never became a really impressive orator at the table of the House’ but ‘he shone on a public platform’.
653Nugget Coombs (1986, p 51) commented he ‘could command the attention of the House by clarity and
mastery of his subject and when the occasion called for it by a homespun humour’. Parliamentary contemporary Gordon Brown (1953, p 212) regarded him as ‘the calmest speaker it has been my lot to contact…[with] no frills or flourishes’. Clark (1983, p 34) called Chifley ‘a good stump performer and parliamentary debater’.
139
Both were very popular with their staff. One of Chifley’s staff recalled him as ‘lovely…a true gentleman’.654 A future treasurer who worked in Treasury said of Fadden ‘no one
could have a more kindly and considerate chief’. 655 Murray Tyrrell (1974, p 7; 1975,
p 19), a public servant who worked for both men, described Chifley as someone who ‘looked after his staff’ and Fadden as an ‘extremely good man to work with, a very honest and upright boss’.
One time colleague and later opponent, and fellow treasurer, Joe Lyons described Chifley ‘as one of the finest fellows I have ever met’, while Lyons’ wife Enid remembered Chifley’s ‘rugged good looks, immense personal dignity and his friendly but always slightly reserved bearing’.656 Indeed one biographer referred to the challenge that ‘it is
almost impossible to find anybody with a bad word to say’ about him.657
Similarly, it has been said of Fadden ‘there would not be one member in parliament…who disliked him’.658 Parliamentary contemporaries recalled Fadden as 'energetic, outgoing,
shrewd and immensely likeable' and ‘sharp-witted with a fund of jokes’.659 As the British
High Commissioner put it, ‘you couldn’t meet a better man in a bar’.660 He had an enormous zest for living.661
While on opposite sides of parliament, in some ways the views of Chifley and Fadden were not that different. With his background, it has been said ‘Fadden should have joined
654 Eileen Clendinning, personal discussion 24 May 2015. She referred to him as also concerned about the
wellbeing of his staff. Nugget Coombs (1981, p 90), appreciated Chifley's 'gentleness, his simple faith in mankind and his warm gift for friendship'. Similarly, Rogers (1971) recalled Chifley was noted for being ‘more than kind to his staff’. Historian and senior Liberal politician Paul Hasluck (1997, p 39) also observed that all his public servants liked him.
655 Leslie Bury, Hansard, 21 August 1958, p 648.
656Enid Lyons (1972a, p 97). Future treasurer and prime minister Harold Holt described Chifley as ‘one of
the more loveable men ever to have inhabited Parliament House’; cited in Thompson (1964, p 74). Hasluck (1986, p 17) recalls Menzies choosing Chifley as his first pick when asked to select an all-time best cabinet.
657Thompson (1964, p 55). There are a few critics who argued Chifley wore a working class ‘mask’ and
played down his learning and affluence; Scalmer (1996, p 46) gives some examples.
658 Parliamentary contemporary John Cramer (1989, p 30). Political opponent Fred Daly (1977, p 116), for
example, recalled Fadden as ‘a very lovable character’. He had been called the ‘most popular man in parliament’; Sydney Morning Herald, 23 April 1973. Menzies’ private secretary Hazel Craig (in Fitzgerald (2014, p 189)) and Davey (2011, p 47) describe him as a 'hail fellow, well met' character. Enid Lyons (1972a, p 98) recalled 'everyone whole heartedly liked Artie'.
659 Beale (1977, p 50). Daly (1977, pp 25, 29, 32) includes some examples of Fadden’s wit. 660 Cross to Cranborne, 20 January 1942, cited by Macintyre (2015, p 79).
140
the Labor Party’662 and he wrote himself that he could have become a union official663
and that in his twenties his sympathies were more on the Labor side.664