FIRST THINGS FIRST.
When the election is over, and again assuming that a National Government is the result, we shall once more have a test applied to the sincerity and ability of politi- cians and statesmen to put the National interests over and above every other consideration. And this desirable end will undoubtedly best be reached by the new Govern- ment turning its attention in the first place to those matters concerning which there is almost a unanimous opinion. Needless to say that the first of those essentials is the continuance of the practice of economy, the pre- vention of an abuse of the dole," and the firm handling of any policy, whether dictated by the T.U.C. or any other body, calculated to render impossible or even difficult a reduction in our costs of production and a revival in trade. Next in order comes the vital necessity for bringing about a recovery in the trade balance ; and here, of course, the solution can only be reached if, abandoning all preconceived theories, the new Cabinet looks at the situation from the standpoint of conditions as they exist to-day, both at home and abroad. First and foremost, the duty is to take the course calculated most surely to bring back prosperity to this country, but, equally, com- -mon sense and sound judgement will, be required so that due regard is given to the world depression and the effect already produced upon our trade by our abandoning the gold standard.
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