The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-10-15


form essential to national prosperity
and those believing free trade the only
remedy, working together. 1t would be
an interesting experiment to see others
fight That's one Of the joys i have
in store.
Never Sought Premiership.
II never sought my present position
Bonar Law. Lord Balfour or Lord Car
son can tell you that was willing to
serve under any man of~experence. who
was prepared to conduct the war eff
GENTLY. and / said so. in any office how
ever humble. I gave up one Of the
most powerful positions in the Govern
ment in 1915 to take up an absolutely
new and. what then was. very humble
office, because l thought l could SERVE
the country better. And In 1916. If they
had said TO me: That's your job inside
and outside i should have done il.
because there were millions facing death
for their country and It was not for a
man to choose or pick his job.
never said make me Prime Minister :
On the contrary. / begged Balfour
Bonar Law or anybody TO take that
position. 1 begged Asquith to remain
so long as conditions were assured in
his premiership that l thought neces-
Il believe there's a resolution TO be
moved for political Unionists' meeting
/ think 1t would have been most honor
able and more courageous IL Il hau
been moved in November. 1918 That 8
one party On the other hand, there's
another party, led by Lord Gladstone
and Sir Donald Mclean. who saw they
will have nothing to do with or be
associated with me. All the same. in
spite OF that, have many friends there.
Appeals to People.
Outside I saw that smiling welcome
of faces last night greeting me and
saw the roadside to-day. have many
friends-Conservative and Liberal. yes.
and a multitude who are of neither of
those parties. 1 throw myself upon
the people, whose cause / have never
betrayed during the thirty-two years of
strenuous public life. They will see
fair play.
Had l betrayed the people the posi-
ton which Is put forward in certain
quarters would never have arisen. The
world has not yet recovered from the
deep hurt inflicted by the war. That
recovery will be slow, weary and
tedious; and there will be many set
backs. / am not afraid OF the future
The supreme test of craftsmanship in
this hour Is the pacfication OF nations
The course is a clear one, and / will
support with all my might any Govern
ment that devotes itself and lends energy
TO that task with slnglemindedness, fear
lessness and resolution, provided ii does
not embark upon measures to inflict
permanent injury upon the country,
whether these measures be reactionary
or revolutionary. That does not mean
that / pledge myself to support the
irefficiency the vacillation and the in
firmities of any Government or any
party, but any Government that has not
pursued that course ! will assist with
all my might. That is my policy.
THE future is a perplexing one. The
situation of our country and the situa-
ton of the world are too grave for any
man to engage in any party or personal
maneuvers. One party land / deplore
iD brought itself to the brink of de-
struction in spite of every warning by
that kind OF folly, and the men who
are engaging in the same kind of FOLLY
in either party will live to reap {. har-
vest of disappointment and disillueion-
fnent. Nations never forgive parties
that sacrifice national interests In great
emergencies to party gain. and what
ever may be the temporary advantage
Of that maneuver. maybe time will
listened to those. counsels. or who may
recklessly and blindly follow that coun-
sci, will rebuke them, becaus instead
OF bringing national confidence they
have brought distrust to the party they
loved best.
II shall play no personal or party
game. | place national security and
prosperity above the interest OF any
body and if in consequences of that po-
sition | have Saken-that position /
mean to abide by--if in consequence of
that ] am driven alone into the wilder
ness. / shall always recall with pride
that | have been enabled, with the
assistance of loyal colleagues, I'm the
dark hour of the nations history, to
render II no mean service.
II shall be proud of the fact that ]
have attempted things which even yet
have not reached maturity or complete
success: Sand / shall be prouder than
ever of the fact-if this were the last
day / held my high position--I should be
prouder than ever or the fact that thers
were given me the last days and weeks
of my Premiership to invoke the might
of this great empire to protect from in
describable sorrow men. women and
children by the hundred thousand who
are trusting in the plighted word Of
France. Italy and Britain as the shield
of their defense and who are thanking
God this hour that Britain-Great
Britain has kept faith"