On Monday the meeting of the National Unionist Association was
held in London at the Hotel Cecil. The result of the meeting was just -what had been expected, and what we had feared. Mr. Baldwin was unanimously reappointed leader of the party, and, though Protection was washed out for the time being, no pledge was given that it will not be revived. The re-election of Mr. Baldwin was moved by Lord Balfour in an admirable speech in which he demanded a policy that should look forward and not backward. Unionism might and should be the salvation of the country, for it was the natural rallying point against Socialism. The idea that Socialism would help the manual worker was fantastic. Mr. Austen Chamberlain, who was extremely well received, expressed his full approval of Mr. Baldwin's programme. Mr. Baldwin pointed out that he did not feel justified in advising the party to submit to the country any further proposals for "a general Tariff" until there was clear evidence that the public was disposed to reconsider its judgment. The two points upon which, in his opinion, the party should concentrate were Im- perial Preference and Imperial Development. Unionists ought to hold fast by everything that was decided at the Imperial Conference.
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