Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1948. MACKENZIE KING

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 186, 19 May 1948, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1948. MACKENZIE KING

There are few, if any, statesmen, in the world to-day who can produce a record of service anywhere near approaching* that of Mr W. L. Mackenzie King, the Canadian Prime Minister, who, on April 20, equalled Walpole’s record for length of service as Prime Minister of a British Commonwealth country. Mr Mackenzie King was elected to.office on December 29, 1921, a total up to April 20 of 7629 days. Walpole was Prime Minister of Britain from April 3, 1721 to February 11, 1742. Mr Mackenzie King’s period of service*was not continuous, •as he was out of office for a few months in 1926 and for five years, between 1930 and 1935, but in spite of that his record is one that is likely to stand perhaps as long as did that of Walpole. The Canadian Prime Minister has intimated that he intends resigning, and if he does so, he will carry with him into' retirement the congratulations of all parts of the Commonweath on his wonderful achievement. I’t is interesting to study Mr Mackenzie Kings’ life, to see how he achieved the’ success lie did. From what has been written of him, it would seem that he has enjoyed a record'reign because of his genius in the conduct of practical politics and by his management of men. He has at all times revealed a remarkable understanding of current events. He has always seemed .to have known which way things were likely to head, and he has acted in that direction with surprisingly few mistakes. Canada has faced many . critical situations, but through them all Mackenzie King has remained at the helm. This has not been easy, because in Canada there are two 'great races, and the issue between them has been one of the country’s greatest problems. An early GovernorGerierai, Sir Charles Bagot, once said: “You cannot govern Canada without the French,”'and Mackenzie King never forgot this, a fact which stood him in good stead. Although a confirmed pacifist, Mackenzie King proved a great war leader, simply because he possessed a passionate will to victory and mental ruggedness which enabled him to stand up to the strain of the war years. Mackenzie King’s work is liearly done, but he has left his mark on the nation. He lias set a standard which should prove a valuable guide to whoever should succeed him, but it is a standard which may also prove very hard to maintain.