. But ,in ,the, circumstances Mr. Eden did remarkably well.
He did manage to drive home the fact that the proposals , ,ere, ,after all . only basis for discussion, and that no peace on these lines, could be made without the agreement of the League and of Italy and Abyssinia: The general impression when Mr. Eden sat down was that he had certainly made the best of a very bad case. His snecess was emphasised rue hour'or two later by the sad failure .Mr. Baldwin when he rose to try and 'retrieVe the prestige of the Goyernnwat. He spoke for the first time ,like an old and tired man. There was no fight in the Speech. At one moment he lost the thread of his thoughts and had to turn to Mr. Eden to helP hiin out. There is a general recognition that the GoVernment has had a desperately hard task in its attempt to induce Prance to maintain economic sanctions against Italy, but Govern- ment suppOrters, and particularly the youhger amongst thein, feel that Sir Samuel Hoare, knowing the immense difficulties of the situation, ought not to have raised such high hopes 'as he did in his famous speech at • Geneva last September. They argue that statements were made by leading mernbers of the Government which induced them to make speeches on the League at the Olection and which, in view of what has happened, could now be construed as a breach of faith with those who elected them.
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