Buntingford and District Women Conservatives
Garden Meeting at Aspenden House
The members of the Buntingford and District Women Conservative Association, held a Garden Meeting at Aspenden House on Wednesday afternoon, by kind invitation of Captain and Mrs H.H. Williams.
Last year's event was marred by a steady downpour of rain, but on Wednesday the sun shone brilliantly and before and after the meeting, which was held in a beautifully shaded corner of the grounds, the company enjoyed a walk around the well-kept garden, now bright with summer flowers.
Some 200 members were present, and in opening the meeting Mrs H.H. Williams said they were glad to welcome Mrs Heard again. The general strike was over, and everyone was smiling again.
She was sure that everyone present was proud to belong to the Conservative party and proud of Mr Baldwin; even his opponents - she would not say enemies as she thought he had none - admired him. (Applause).
Mrs Heard, who was give [sic] a hearty welcome, said it was just a year since she was at Aspenden. She had come to speak to them about the Empire. Britain and her dominions still stood first.
The women of England were home builders and home keepers and the home life of England stood out as a pattern to the whole world. The Conservative party stood for bringing together the peoples of England and her dominions under the rule of King George V.
The standard of living was higher than it had ever been before, and the Conservative party had been instrumental in making it so. They heard a lot about Free Trade - it was not really Free Trade but free imports. England had to import an enormous amount of food as it was only able to produce enough to feed eleven million of its fourty eight million people.
The Strike
The Socialists were always talking about International Brotherhood, and when the T.U.C. called the general strike, they thought that foreign countries would take action with them. As everyone knew men in other Countries did not strike out of sympathy with the T.U.C. because they knew that while our men were out they were taking our orders. The strike had undone all the good things the Union had done in the past. There was no doubt that some of the unions of this Country had been responsible for better conditions for the workmen, better hours, &c., that was their national work.
The T.U.C. had a surprise when the people rose and said "hands off the constitution of this County."Continuing, Mrs Heard said she liked to feel that the people of England liked fair play, and she had a certain sense of admiration for some of the leaders of the T.U.C. for the manner in which they surrendered to the Government. The strike had certainly cleared the air, and the people of Britain had said "We will be ruled, but only by people who we have put into power." (Applause)
Referring to Mr Baldwin the speaker said that when the history of England was written, his name would be written in letters of gold, for no man could have done more. Our forefathers had made this Country what it was today, and we today are able to say that what they were we are. Let us bring up our children to walk in our footsteps so that England in the future may be as strong as she is today. (Applause).
On the proposition of Mrs H.H. Williams, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mrs Heard for her inspiring address. Mrs Coutts-Deacon moved a hearty vote of thanks to Capt. and Mrs Williams for their hospitality and Colonel Heaton-Ellis associated himself with Mrs Deacon's remarks.
Tea was served on the lawn, and the Buntingford Town Silver Band played selections. Later in the evening there was dancing, the band providing the music.