Curtin as seen by his contemporaries

Tom Fitzgerald searched out contemporaries of Curtin and sought their reminiscences or views on particular issues or on Curtin the man in general, filing any pertinent information in the form of correspondence, notes of interviews and conversations, etc

Extract from: Notes re Sir Paul Hasluck on John Curtin, 7 March 1977

(told to Peter Ryan, early March, 1977 – to me from Peter, phone conversation in Melbourne, 7/3/77):

Curtin did not attend formal university course (this apparently confirmed by Peter’s Perth agent, who checked with the University of W.A.), but did come to the lectures or talks/discussions? given to the journalists by Shann (urged insistently that other journalists should go – Curtin President of AJA) (circa 1924-5???)

Curtin and Shann argued very strongly about the gold standard (perhaps at time of Britain’s and Australia’s impending or just accomplished return to gold standard??)
“Shann put great store in its intrinsic value of gold.” Curtin did not. – Shann got laughs when he said repeatedly to Curtin: “You can’t see what’s in front of your nose.” Curtin joined in the laughter when he realised Shann was referring to Curtin’s gold-rimmed spectacles.

Near the end of his life, Curtin said to H. [Sir Paul Hasluck] that two (2) things had let him down: first, the honesty of the working journalist (Gollan?), as distinct from their proprietors; second, the honesty of trade union leaders. Now he was left with nothing to lean on...

John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of Tom Fitzgerald. Notes re Sir Paul Hasluck on John Curtin, 7 March 1977. JCPML00653/28/6.

Extract from: Letter from Rt. Hon. Sir Paul Hasluck to Tom Fitzgerald, 3 December 1979

John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of Tom Fitzgerald. Letter from Rt. Hon. Sir Paul Hasluck to Tom Fitzgerald, 3 December 1979. JCPML00653/164/3.

Extract from: Notes re conversation with George Ovenden, 11 August 1976

... When Curtin, as PM, was in Melbourne, he several times came over to see George and Yatala Ovenden in their old house in 46 Smith Street, East Melbourne; One Sunday – 1942, he came with Norman Makin, and Curtin was exercised over the question of conscription. He put the question to them: he had been opposed to conscription and war; what would people think if he now proposed conscription? The Ovenden’s 11-year-old son first answered: “They would say you are a cheat.” Curtin said they would say that. Yatala urged him to keep to the old line of rigid conscription. George Ovenden said, on the contrary, they were at war with the most evil of enemies, Hitler and the primitive militants of Japan. It was essential to resist this evil with force. Curtin said: “That is my policy.”

John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of Tom Fitzgerald. Notes re conversation with George Ovenden, 11 August 1976. JCPML00653/103/10.

Extracts from: Muriel Heagney - on John Curtin's death, 1945.

Writing to me, when he was appointed leader of the Labor Party in 1935, he said that whilst he had not sought the honor, he welcomed the post because of the opportunity it offered to bring nearer the dreams of his youth, to lay the foundations of a social order in which men and women – not bricks, mortar and wealth – would have the highest value. It was no secret that every time he asked for a fresh sacrifice in the present war, from our armed forces and the workers, in the interest of national safety, he registered afresh his vow that they, and their kith and kin, would be adequately compensated by a new deal in the post- war world.

John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Records of Tom Fitzgerald. Muriel Heagney - on John Curtin's death, 1945. JCPML00653/165.