London, Oct. 30.
At the secret meeting of the Conservative Party held at Caxton Hall to-day, which was called by Mr. Starley Baldwin, the Leader of the Party, for the purpose of securing endorsement of his policy by the rank and file and which was attend. fed by.600 Conservative peers and members of the House of Commons, Mr. Baldwin outlined his Imperial Policy, which.received the support jof all present excent Lord Beaver-
Mr. Baldwin said that he had already decided that nothing shor: of a tariff on goods manufactured ign countries would meet the industry, and he was pledged to introduce ' a tariff immediately be jeame into office.
With regards to the Imperial Conference, Mr. Baldwin said that ino leader of the Copservative Party could take ary other line than the tone he had taken: namely, accept-Jance of the offer of preferential duties made by the Dominic miners and an expression of wi ness to have a perfectly free hand to deal (? with other countries), The whole position had completely changed since last Spring, he added, and the Conservative Party now had a logical basis to fight upon, At this point Mr. Baldwin exclaimed: "We cannot, of course, go fon as we have been' going will not say more about that."
He then referred to his fiscal po-hey as the policy of the free hand.
At the conclusion of his statements the Leader of the Conser-ive Party asked all supporters policy to raise their hands.
Beaverbrook's was the only hand which was not valsed in sup= port.
Continuing, Mr. Baldwin said that The had been' pressed to resign his position as Leader of the Part} In some circumstances he did say he would have resigned, but be would have considered the matte: He then declared: "In the present circumstances I will not give it consideration" (Loud plause). But if the Party full discussion of, the matter, told him that it desired another Leade he would walk out without mal retire from polities and do nothing to queer the pitch of his success0i On the other hand, if the meeting endorsed his leadership, he would expect more loyalty than yo had been shown during the past few months, Mr. Baldwin then retired from the meeting amid loud—appla and the latter voted a continuation of his Teadership by 460 votes to 116, At the conclusion of the meeting. a resolation of confidence in Mr. passed unanimously.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.