Mr. Baldwin's Doctrine of Restraint Mr. Baldwin's speech to the
Unionist Party on Thurs- day, April 18th, proved his positive determination not to emulate other parties in making promises which he did not feel sure of fulfilling. His critics profess to see in this restraint either lethargy or a want of imagination. We are convinced, on the contrary, by Mr. Baldwin's persistent note that he has a very definite fear that democracy may fall into one of its most notorious snares—the acceptance of a bogus political ai,tetion as a genuine thing. It is so easy " to go one better " ! But is it honest, and is it the way to save democracy from contempt ? Mr. Baldwin therefore insisted upon the merits of his party as .a party of performance, not There Of promise. The was nothing new in what he offered, though indeed it amounts to a great deal—slum-clearance, help for agriculture, a scheme of higher education for all, the linking-up of schools with Universities and Technical Colleges which will require a new Education Act, a reformed system of maternity benefit, care of children from one to five, development of the railways, and State-aided Colonial enterprise in order to create permanent employment.
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