BRITISH PREMIER

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1180, 1 December 1924, Page 11

BRITISH PREMIER

COURAGE AND PLAIN DEALING. An anonymous writer in the National Review, writing before tlio British elections, gave a striking sketch of the Conservative loader :—ll is speeches are the most practical contributions to the problems of the day that are being made either inside or outside Parliament. They can be read and rc-vead with pleasure and profit, and of the orations of how many' modern politicians can this be truly said? For fresh expositions, sound sense, closo reasoning, long vision, and sane statesmanship, they are by far the best to-day. Other assets are his courage and plain dealing. He is not to be intimidated either within or without his own party No clique or adventure lias any hold over him. He cannot be reached by the back stairs; those who wish to transact business with him must do so openly or not at all. It is surprising that lie should have made enemies? Somo of them are irreconcilable. We have all seen attacks launched at intervals from different quarters, hut up to tlio present they have all failed. They have done him no harm. Rather have they been of service to him, for the intrigues have, opened his eyes to tlio moro subtle dangers of political life, while tlio open assaults have been so unrestrained that the public have realised their nature and reacted in his favour. The public, in fact, are beginning to suspect that in Stanley Baldwin they have got a first-class man. His course has been full of difficulty, but he is gradually consolidating his position. With certain rare qualities of character and with a great historic party behind him, which lyas always found itself more at ease with statesmanship unadorned than with brilliant gifts, however glittering, lie has more chance than any other living man oi shaping the future of his countrymen and guiding their destinies along tlio path of peace.