The Conservative Party
When Mr. Eden, speaking at the annual conference of the Conservative Party last week, said that " respect for tradition " was the basic prinCiple of' natural Conservatism, he showed that he was well aware that that expression has a two-fold meaning. It means not only respect for what Conservatives have achieved in the past, but also for what was achieved by their political opponents against their wishes in the past. Many of the democratic achievements which he praised Were the work of men who in their time were on
the Left. It is precisely because he realises this that he emphasised the importance of the process of beneficent evolution, and of looking forward to the tremendous tasks of reconstruction which await the post-war Government. Leading Ministers of all parties have made it clear that they hope that that Government will still be a non- party one, and that it will act in the early post-wai years, as in the war itself, for the country as a whole. It was evident that that wish is shared by most of those who spoke at the Party conference. But that clearly makes it more Important, and not less, that the Conservative Party should present a clear policy to the nation, and indeed a resolution to that effect was passed. The Labour Party have [nee it clear what they stand for, and Mr. Herbert Morrison and others have indicated what part of their programme might admit of being carried out by a National Government. It is desirable that we should know equally clearly where the Conservative Party stands, after the clarifying influences of nearly four years of war, so that we may form a. better judgement of the possibilities of a united effort in the reconstruction period. The Prime Minister himself has given an indication of the problems to be solved, but he was, speaking as the head of a National Government rather than for the Conservative Party.
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