13 NOVEMBER 1926, Page 2

At the Lord Mayor's banquet on Tuesday the Prime Minister

gave one of his characteristic reviews of the world's affairs, and found causes for gratification almost everywhere except at home. The General Strike, although swiftly defeated, would remain, he said, " a stain on the annals of our country," and the coal dispute was " a monument of human folly." There was, however, general improvement elsewhere. Mr. Baldwin pointed out. how greatly the condition of Europe had improved since the last Imperial Conference met three years ago. The situation in China was, of course; extremely difficult, but new hopes were dawning in India where the policy. of non-co-operation was likely to be disavowed as " reactionary and sterile."