MR. BALDWIN'S FAREWELL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 55, 2 September 1937, Page 14

MR. BALDWIN'S FAREWELL

When Mr. Baldwin presided over his last Cabinet it met at 4 and continued until 5.30. Future diaries and biographies may tell us, says the "Manchester Guardian," how ; he behaved at this meeting and whether or not he took farewell of his colleagues in a short formal speech as Mr. Gladstone did. At present we do riot know. Ie could, have been an affecting scene. Mr. Gladstone recorded in his diary that his last Cabinet was very affecting, but we shall probably discover that MrBaldwin's was not, and thatj he acted as though he had any number of Cabinet meetings still before him, arid expected ' his colleagues to act. in that spirit, too. He has always shown something like genius for turning the flank, so to speak, of an emotional occasion. Considering that he was; treating 'of the first' voluntary abdication of a King of England his historic speech of last December was almost coldblooded. Certainly, Mr. Baldwin left the Cabinet cheerful and alert and wearing something rather gay in waistcoats. After his last Cabinet Mr. Gladstone went to the House of Commons and made a resounding attack on the House of Lords. The cause was still more than the man. Mr. Baldwin did not enter the Chamber at all on the day of his last Cabinet.