The debate on the first day was rather uneven. Mr.
Baldwin gave it a fair start with a speech of clarity and vigour delivered obviously under considerable stress of emotion and fatigue. Mr. Attlee failed altogether to rise to the greatness of the occasion. lie confined himself mainly to the stale polemics of the election platform, and when he did touch upon the problems of defence it was merely from the angle of the theorist. Sir Archibald Sinclair, on the other hand, though he made sonic search- ing criticisms, never lost sight of the grave realities of the situation. He put the best ease against the Government of any Oppositiqn speaker throughout the debate. It was unfortunate that to Mr. Thomas was-given the task of winding up. It was not the occasion for a knockabout speaker of his type, and many important questions raised in the discussion in consequence remained unanswered.
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