Evening star., 1941-12-29
Explains Evolution Of
Prime Minister Office
Writer Tells How Predecessors
OF Churchill Gained Power
And Historic Distinction
By Bertrdm Benedict.


The office of Prime Minister of Eng
land developed almost as haphazardly
as did the institution of the English
cabinet itself Not until 1878 was the
Office mentioned in public docu-
ment: the treaty Of Berlin of that year
describes the Earl of Beaconsfleld
DisraelD as Prime Minister of England.
And not until 1905 was the Office recog
nized officially in British domestic
document, and then only in a royal
warrant which placed the Prime Min
lister next in precedence after the
Archbishop of York.
The kings of England almost from
the beginning had been surrounded by
privy council. The council ultimately
became so large that its work had to
be distributed among committees; the
cabinet developed as one of those COM
mittees. After the revolution of 1888
the cabinet became composed of the
principal officers of state appointed by
the Crown
with the sovereign, who inevitably
dominated its sessions. Then, In 1714,
came George I, the Hanoverian. He
abandoned the practice of attending
cabinet meetings, partly because he
wasn't much interested in the new realm
he had happened to inherit. partly
because he had little English and the
cabinet ministers had less German. The
stage was set for a strong personality
in the cabinet to dominate it. and such
a personality was found in Sir Horace
Walpole.
Walpole, usually considered the first
English Prime Minister, held that Office
from 1921 to 1742. He insisted that his
colleagues subscribe in general to Wing
principles, he dismissed insubordinate
colleagues, he dispensed the royal
patronage. Yet In theory all the cabi-
net members were Of equal rank. Even
today the Prime Minister holds a sepa-
rate Cabinet position, and his salary
flo0oO) derives from that position.
George III tried to get back for the
crown some Of the prerogatives which
had grown up around the Office of
Prime Minister; not until the long term
OF office Of the younger Pitt, 1853 TO
1901, did the prime ministership become
pretty much consolidated as at present.
In theory the Prime Minister has free
hand in selecting his cabinet. Just as
in theory the sovereign has a free hand
in selecting the Prime Minister. In
practice the Prime Minister must choose
NJ u-h nn ~,
House OF Commons approves. just AS the
Sovereign must choose a Prime Minister
who will be supported by q majority
of the House
In the United States the cabinet is
composed Of the heads of the executive
departments, although Of recent years
other high policy-making officials at
times have sat in on cabinet sessions. In
Great Britain, on the other hand. only
the most important ministers are con-
sidered members of the cabinet. In
emergencies. such as war, there is even
an inner cabinet, which runs the show.
Another point of difference is that
in England the Prime Minister. like
members Of the cabinet generally, must
be member of Parliament. The Prime
Minister is officially the leader of the
House to which he appertains. Until
the advent Of Lloyd George In 1916, the
Prime Minister had always been re-
cruited from the upper classes. often
from the peerage. Lloyd George held on
until 1922. Then came A. Bonar Law,
and, in 1923, Stanley Baldwin. In 1924
came j. Ramsay Macdonald like Lloyd
George, of humble origin and Baldwin
again; in 1929, Macdonald again: in
1885, Baldwin again; in 1887, Neville
Chamberlain; on May 10. 1910, Winston
S, Churchill, the first British Prime Min
lister with American blood in his veins.