AUSTRALIA: Moving from Waltz to Whirlwind

SHORTLY after the Australian Labor Party won power in last December's election, a high U.S. Administration official was discussing the change with an Australian visitor. "Tell me," he asked, "what's this new Prime Minister of yours like—this fellow White-law?" The visitor had barely finished pointing out that the fellow's name was Whitlam when he was confronted by an inquisitive State Department expert. More interested in learning something about other members of the new Australian Cabinet, the expert remarked: "I've already met your two top men—Mr. Gough and Mr. Whitlam."

It is unlikely that anybody in Washington would make either faux...