MR. CHURCHILL'S STATEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22595, 7 December 1936, Page 9

MR. CHURCHILL'S STATEMENT

PLEA FOR TIME AND PATIENCE

CRITICISM OF CABINET'S ACTION By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received December 6, 6.30 p.m./ LONDON, Dec. o Various voices are raised in opposition to the Government s attitude, among which a statement by Mr. Winston Churchill is most prominent. Mr. Churchill says: "I plead for time and patience. The nation must realise the character of the constitutional issue. There is no question of conflict between the King and Parliament, which was not consulted and not allowed to express an opinion. " The question is whether the King is to abdicate on the advice of his Ministry, but no such advice has previously been given a Sovereign. It is a case of a wish expressed by the Sovereign to perform an act which cannot be accomplished for nearly five months and may conceivably never be accomplished. No Ministry * has the authority to advise abdication. The Cabinet lias no right to prejudge such a question without previously at least ascertaining Parliament's will. Parliament also would fail entirely in its duty if it allowed abdication without taking all precautions to ensure that these processes would not be repeated with equal uncanny facility at no distant date in unforeseen circumstances. "If it be true that the King has proposed legislation which his Ministers are not prepared to introduce, the Ministers' answers should not be a call for abdication, but a refusal of the Kings request, which then becomes inoperative. "If the King refuses his Ministers advice they are free to resign. They have no right whatever to press the King to accept their advice by previously soliciting assurances from the Lead"i of the Opposition that he will not form an alternative tration, thereby confronting the King with, an ultimatum. Mr. Churchill adds: "Lastly, there is the human and - personal aspect. The King has been for many weeks under the greatest mental and moral strain. Surely, if he asks for time . consider advice now that matters have been brought tp this culmination, he should not be denied. The King has not the means of personal access to Parliament and his people; his Ministers stand between him and them. The Ministers must be careful not to be the judge of their own case. If abdication were hastily extorted the outrage so committed would cast a shadow across many chapters of the history of the British Empire."