The Position of Mr. Baldwin
It is not to be wondered at that Mr. Baldwin is putting the Quota system in the front of his shop window and tariffs at the back, although he has distinctly said that he will not shrink from food taxes if they are shown to be necessary. The Times of Wednesday published a letter from the editor of the Yorkshire Post, who knows as well as any man the state of feeling in the north of England. He says: "A definite understanding to tax food before any reciprocal advantages can be shown and assessed will result in the loss of thousands of votes to the Conservative Party. As realists, we in the North say :
• First things First'." Time and investigation are on Mr. Baldwin's side. It is said that there is a movement by Unionist malcontents who like Protection for Protec- tion's sake, and who apparently think that food taxes possess some inherent attractiveness, to force Mr. Baldwin into a Party meeting where he will have to stand and deliver the fatal formula that will disrupt the North of England. We doubt whether the movement is powerful. In any case Mr. Baldwin is in a stronger position than before. * * * *
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