The dim culty of reconciling all these conflicting versions will be appreciated, It cannot be said that anyone of the three partisans is dis rect in cultivating the attitude of non-intervention. The other day Mr. Anthony Eden expressed the opinion that neither Germany nor Ttaly was as culpable as Soviet Russia in that respect, judging from the reports before the Committee. Whether Italy's activities in Majorca have been correctly described by the Spanish Government, is open to doubt, but the apparently uncer tradicied assertion that several Soviet. merchant ships carrying munitions {0 Spain are being escorted by Soviet naval vessels -points to the accuracy of Mr. Eden's assessment. The difficulty, course, lies in the fact that the Spanish Government on the one side and its enemies on the other would willingly grasp at any material or moral support in the present struggle. The crusading zeal of adherents to the Communist and Fascist creeds has unhappily been most marked; it gives European statesmanship at the moment the greatest anxiety.
The British Government, cordially adopting the line which 0. Leon Blum has suggested, is determined to use all its efforts to maintain neutrality. In a sense the British and French delegates to the Non-Intervention Committee are charged with the delicate task of composing their colleagues' fervour. The special step taken by the British Government to impose a statutory ban on the carriage of munitions to Spain by British ships from ports outside Great Britain will make the present embargo applicable to such ships on leaving British ports impossible of evasion. Nevertheless is essential that the altitude of the "crusaders" should be understood.
In their present mood, all three of them find it far more dim cult to be "neutrally-minded" than do other countries. This docs not lessen the danger of their enthusiasm, although it may mitigate the offence, without, unfortunately, making the solution of the problem any easier. Casual events tend moreover to stimulate rather than allay partisan feeling and the stability of European relationships is thereby further endangered. Thus Germany and Moly are in the ecstasy of their recent declarations on the evils of Communism and are clearly imbued with the belief that they havea holy mission to wage war on that doctrine wherever they see it Ukely to find it rampant. In due course it may be possible to bring these crusaders to a realization of the intrinsie fallacy of their conviction that they are serving the interests of Eurdpean peace. Just now that process of persuasion has to be dif-Adently applied. The actions of the Soviet Government cannot be said to encourage it, for Russia too is the victim of the same crusading zeal in the opposite direction.
Lord Halifax has put his anger on the chief ground for hopefulness scute form, Subsequent diplomatic
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.