7 JULY 1923, Page 10

Mr. Baldwin, on Friday, June 29th, made a sagacious and

effective speech to the National Unionist Association at their annual dinner at the Hotel Cecil. The Unionists must meet the propaganda of the Socialists with a teaching equally keen and zealous. Though we may think it mistaken, the propaganda of our opponents is conducted by sincere men and well-equipped men. It must be countered by men as well educated and as honest and eager in purpose. That was why the effort of Sir Philip Stott—the effort lately described in the Spectator—at the Labour College at Overstone House was so valuable. He was sending out well-trained men into every part of the United Kingdom. We agree most heartily, but we trust that these missionaries will not be content with a destructive criticism of their opponents' case. What is needed is the replacing of fallacies and sterile ideals by those which bring forth good fruit and in abundance. Ideals must be combated by ideals, not by statistics or negative arguments. We must inspire, not devitalize. We must tell people how to act, not merely how not to act.