MR CHAMBERLAIN’S HOLD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1939, Page 4

MR CHAMBERLAIN’S HOLD

EVENTS OF PAST SIX MONTHS. SECRET OF POPULARITY. When the historians come to examine the events of the last six months they will be perplexed by the fact that Mr Chamberlain, after his recent change of policy, has enhanced rather than diminished his hold upon the country, writes Mr Harold Nicolson, M.P. It is no exaggeration to say that if a plebiscite were held tomorrow upon his retention of the post of Prime Minister, between 60 and 65 per cent of the electorate would vote in his favour. What, the historians will ask, is the secret of this popularity? The Prime Minister’s most devoted admirers would scarcely claim that he possesses the charm of Lord Baldwin, the wisdom of Bonar Law, the magnetism of Lloyd George, the high intellectual abilities of Asquith, the suave experience of Balfour or the deep ethical appeal of Gladstone. Mr Chamberlain obviously derives a large proportion of his authority from the fact that he is representative of what the great middle mass of people are feeling at the time. When they were longing to escape from intolerable dangers, he rendered escape respectable by calling it “appeasement,” When their pride and anger are deeply stirred, they feel that he will defend their liberties without rendering resistance provocative. Mr Chamberlain’s reversal of policy has, in fact, coincided with, and not countered, a swing in public opinion. Yet this in itself would not be enough. The Prime Minister would not hold the position he does if he appealed merely to the instinct of self-pre-servation. The great virtue which he possesses is the virtue of heroic courage.