FIVE PRIME MINISTERS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1923, Page 3

FIVE PRIME MINISTERS

(Sydney Paper). A feature of political life in Britain is the stability of administrations, in Eratco, with it- multiplicity of partic-. polities arc always in a state of flux. New combinations are eou-tant.lv being formed. Governments rise and fail ; leader suppliants leader in swift succession, and the fact that the country is engaged in a desperate struggle for very existence does not make the slightest difference. Indeed it seems rather to accelerate the kaleidoscopic changes in the political scene. But the rhythm of British politics may be likened to the -low swing of a pendulum. A crisis i- the exception. not the rule. One or other of the great parries ai tain power, and holds it eit-m for a decade or more. Then comes the reaction, and in ii- turn it must remain out on the heather until on again the recoil restores it to office.

Not only have administrations in Britain been remarkably enduring in general, hut many < f tlmir leaders have enjoyed office for remarkably long periods. Walpole made the Preinmr--hii) almost a per-mial perqui-ite: he hold it for twenty-two years continuously. Liverpool had an unbroken span ol fifteen years a- Prime Minister. a term which both Salisbury and W. E. (Hailstone also acheived in the aggregate. This political longevity, so characterastir of Britain, makes it the more noteworthy that boioro Mr Boner haw’s death there were Ho le-s ‘.nan live ex-Primo Ministe-r -till livingthe Earl of Ru.-eherrv. Earl Balfour. Mr A-ouith, Air Lloyd' George, and Mr Ponnr Law. That mii-t surely constitute a record in British history.

Moreover, although a fair proportion of 'b-iii.li Prime Mini-Furs have been com mo up, lace. colimrle-s mol iocri t i"S, Mr Hollar Law pos-es-ed. and tinother- po-sess, a striking personality ami qualitie- that lift them above tiger fellow-. The careers of the five illu-lrate the chalice- and change- of piolitmnl 'ife and luini-h the philo-opher with Ic.od for retlcct lon. Eai-h of the five represent- a different tvpe of statesman. The Earl of Rn,,cherry, richlv hies :>d bv birth and fortune, i- hn’lliant, versatile. "the mail of promi-e." a- Mr Raymond has -tvled him who has never quite fulfilled that promo-".

When he went down from Oxford, so runs the storv, he eoiifes-ed to llir"" amlii I ion -. lie w i.-lied to win the Derby, to write the standard biography of Pit f, id- hero, and to he Prime Minister. When he had achieved them, he wa- sati-fird. Unobtrusive!.? he quitted the -luge, to ic appear at ilicrca-ingly rare intervals. Earl Balfour is de-cended from a shirk which has for long been u-.-nein!ed with i lie (loveriinieiit of England. lie is a iiia.-ter < f lines-c, ami l.a- a mi id the extreme subtlety of wlpcb has lie'll a handicap to him ill llm workaday all’airs of practical politic-. The habit of though! revealed in his "Deionre r.l I” i!n-ojihie Doubt," publi-hed forty

five years ago, has been -trength.eiiud with the pas age of lipe , Mo-i tinman beings can only one -ide of

any given tpie-t ion. . >me have the facility of seeing two -ide-. Kail Balfour can sec at f.-a.-i a-enro. And, like the Earl of Ro-ehorry, he has no haTikeriiigs after high oilier. A- a philosopher he reali-es too well the vanity and hoilowite-x of -ticli thing-l.a-t year the Prime Miui.-tersliip, was hi- for the taking, hut lie would nu raise hi- hand, lie remained in the arena, detached, ironical, di-illu.-ioiied. sceptical, hut nevertheless a iiio.-t valilablc coadjutor to the (on eminent. U there any mission requiring a special degree of diplomacy, tart. and >?ioqm..|ice; j Then send Earl Balfour. Ear! Balfour goes to Washington to the Disarmament Conference, lie goes to Geneva. In elucidate -ome matter in connection with I lie mandates. When ever there is a i a-e to l.e -toted, an unpleasant, truth to he told, Earl Balfour is as-igued ihr task, lie call led it with a minimum of implca-antiio--' j

Mr A.-quith is yet another type. A seltolar of (lit siuetion, an eminent lawyer who, had he devoted hiui-ch to his profession must have ranked among England s toreiuost jnri-t-. a disciple of Gladstone, he i- the (•?;■ j pottenf. of tlie t radii umal I .iheralisin . i Mr Asquith was a line tactician, and lan iii-piring leader, hut public hi-. j has 1T t him. mo, with lew i! hi -mn •• Me doa- mo. rv;.'i< I bl . d nv, iiioi - lIIU' It ,1- i lie maimer o! it . Io b" beaten in lair light by an open aniagniiist is one thing: io he elbowed out by a lieutenant who owed so much le hi- chief i- quite allot her! Mr Lined G"i, rge almost defies cla-sitictit ion Eroin iiumh!i■ lieginuiugs lie climbed to tin- pep ihrough sheer talent. Ilienergv and driving force are immense lie ha- imagination, and admit ne-s. ami i- an aeeompli-ln-d opportuui-!.. ] He wa- at tile helm during '-ome of | the most critical wars in British lii- j lory, and the ship of State safely through Hie tempest. Kor up wards ol' -ix years he wielded a powei which no Prime Mini-tor ol modern times lias possessed. Ilis position seemed unshakable when, all ol a sudden, lie found him.-elt dismissed, the lender of a tat lered remnant.. I'll. British were not liumindlul ol lii- services during the war. hut the iael o, tl ter was tint I line were tired of his Imir-raising and seiisationa! ‘•stunts." Tin-o were i.veiling. hut wearing u> tin- nerve-. The Briti.- 1 - wanted something inure re-iu.il, ami for the fli--L time in twenty years aj Conservative Goveruineiir. wtis i-eturned j to office. Mr I’oiiar Law had mine of the spectacular qualitie- of hi- ptv- | decessor, lud he had a -didily ami j st ability which lhe other lacked, j Friends ami politic:! hoc- alike rctng-j ni.-ed ihat in whatever lie might do he would he prompted by no thought < f party .-idvaiit.-tg--. hu: - d Tv by regard lor the intere-ts of tin- Briti-ii Empire j a- a whole, lie knew, when olfered | ti e Prime Ministership, that if he rwccpted it his end would inevitably !•" hastened. Nevert!ieli>." Im did no! he-ii.-d" to do uliiit In conceived to l.e hi.-, duty, and he ha- paid l lie price. Britain will not readilv forget hi- fine -elf-almegat ion. T’h“ Earl of Rosebery i- a reelu-e. Earl ilaßour is still at hand to bring hi.-, wide experience and Ids honeyed tongue to negotiations of a delicate order. Mi Asquith nurses the stricken Liberal party hack to life, and delivers occasional nplion-tn-iiiicnt the folly of expecting gratitude in noliiies. M r Lloyd George easts bis rlieioneal spell., over the Americans, who -1(» net knew him (pure se well thc British do; and Mr Bonar Law hapassed iUViiv, having handed on •!;. torch to Mr Baldwin, who leads Britain toward.- what may he an entirely new pita - a in her hi-ton-.