At the Lord Mayor's Banquet on Monday, Mr. Baldwin found
himself in a curious position. For the second time within a year he was Prime Minister, but though he had formed his new Cabinet he had not yet had time, as he told his audience, to consult them. In his state- ment on policy, therefore, he naturally dealt only with what may be called certainties. Perhaps the most popular thing he said in a speech which was extraordinarily well received was that the Government did not intend that the Wembley Exhibition should come to an untimely end. He interpreted the verdict of the General Election as meaning that the nation wanted " ordered progress and not stagnation." The Election was " a vote against minority government." He recognized that Unionism had received support from many voters who at ordinary times might have supported other parties. This frank confession is a further justification of the hope we have already expressed, that Mr. Baldwin has in mind a wide policy. It should be a policy of enthusiastic construction. He pointedly called his Administration " a national Government." We accept the omen of the name.
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