THE PRIME MINISTER.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 192, 31 August 1937, Page 6

THE PRIME MINISTER.

"1 nbt think it ia. the leng hourf o? the, hard werk- that ferm the mo$t alarming aspect of the duties of a PiW.e Ministei',"' said Mr N'eville. Chambeiiain, the new British Pvime Ministei', in a I'dcentspeecht " It Is rather, a§ \t aeems tq me, the kuewledf o that ia all the perple^ities and the prohlems whieh UP day after day ia front of any Govemment in these trqublouu tlmes, the ulfciinate. re* pponsibility of the final decision ipust rest upon the shoulders of the Piiffie Miaister. major point of policy can be deeided, no real fateful step can be taken witbout the assegt, ejthe? aetive or passive, of the Plipae hfinister, aad if things go wrong he can never escape tbe refleetiou 1 might have prevented this if I had thought or aeted differentlv.' I believe it is that nitimate au.d iaes.cupable responsibility whiqh is the real root of the apxieties which have worii down tjie energios of our recent Prime Minister-s, and it is that responsibility which now lies in front of me. These next tva years may well be critioal in the history of Europe, and whether they end in chaos qr in a gradual appeasement of o]d enmities, and the restoration of ponfideuce aad stability, will dcpend very likely upon Ihe p.art played by this eountry, which is bpund tu be iuiportant, aud may well be decisiYe." A