Forcible action by the League of Nations in the effort to avert Italy's: aggression in Abyssinia will pre-and, possibly, right in that contention. He shrewdly perceives that such an event would be abhorrent to public opinion in England and France, to name the principal countries involved, Even though responsibility would directly rest on Italy, perience tells that, as the struggle developed, its origin would become obscured and the League itself might actually be accused of aggression in the name of defence, So, paradoxically, the advocates of "strong action" by the League are brought into line with the vehement antagonists of "pacificism." Supporters and opponents of Covenant are yoked in an uncomfortable partnership. It is a sorry outlook for Geneva. England and France put the preservation of the League in the forefront of their policy. They are powerless to Prevent Italy's repudiation of the League's authority, if Signor, Mussolint adheres to his present intention. 'There is the bare possibility that he is staging a colossal bluff and believes that, in the effort to save the League' from' extinction, Abyssinia may be induced to make: such enormous concessions that it will pay handsomely to call off the proposed expedition. If this the underlying meaning of his casual reference to possible offers: from Addis Ababa, then he is certainly sparing no expense in dressing his bluff. Nor would the League be saved, hanced premium would be places fon defiance of the principles on which its very constitution rests. A dignified "happy despatch," might be preferable to acquiescence in a gross violation of the Covenant, The world to-day is confronted by two lessons: first, that the development of disarmament weakens the influence of peace-construction unless it be universally simultaneously effected; secondly, that advocacy of peace by nations which are flagrantly intensifying their preparations for armed aggression, is unreal and, in the last resort, destructive of international ce-operation. With this spirit of militarist dominance there cultivated a rigid control of the fountain of truth and knowledge. The essentially pacific desires of the Peoples of the world—as distinct from the policies sponsored on their behalf—are shown by the fact that militarist regime has to supplement its material activities with elaborate machinery for stifling. public opinion and perverting its} thought. Truth is no longer truth; it is the statement which can be supported by the full force of the militarist paraphernalia. That tendency is not peculiar to Italy, although, there, the Fascist regime has brought toa fine art the com-_ plete elimination of free institutions and the elevation to the dignity of infallibility whatever dictates may proceed from the megalomaniacal mind of the man in' whose hands Italy has, perforce, placed her soul, her conscience and her immediate destiny. This travesty of statecraft cannot endure, but, as the world's malaise persists, it has to be reckoned with as a sinister menace: to civilization, Meeting violence with violence may exaggerate rather than allay the evil, may actually widen the scope of its pernicious action. Vigilant tolerance. has to be the keynote of policy for those nations which still enjoy the privilege of preserving their sanity, intelligence and morality.
While, therefore, peace-conscious nations are compelled, in recogni~ tion of the danger afoot, to bow the Knee to Baal and to refurbish their; "weapons anew, they cannot: be allowed to forget that rearmament!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.