The frequency of Mr. Eden's speeches lately is significant. He cresses for a Coalition Government representing all parties, and organization of industry for rearmament on a war footing, as the only means of keeping pace with the furious rearming of other countries. It will be interesting to see how far Parliament reflects the restless unhappy feelings of the public which there is little sign that the Government has yet properly perceived.
It seems that we have another dictator in Europe, and in no less incongruous a seat than Geneva. The sudden suppression of the post of Chief Personal Assistant to the League's Secretary, held by M. Marcel Hedin, is ostensibly due to needs of zoonomy. Several States are behindhand with their subscriptions and Hungary and Czechoslovakia are almost certain to withdraw. The axe is to fall on many comfortable jobs at Geneva, But that-it should fall on so high an official as M. Hedin means more than retrenchment.
There appears little doubt that he and M, Avenol, the Secretary-General, have quarrelled over policy. M, Hedin is described as a 100 per cent Leaguer, sworn foe of any incline ion to bend the knee before axial Powers. M. Avenol is accused of vishing to curry favour with Ge: narly and Italy in the hope of cajole ing them back into the League, and nf removing all officials who differ rom him. So M. Hedin "goes out on àis ear."
M. Avenol is described as precise, unemotional, "a sphinx who can be silent in all languages." But the question is, who really decides the League's policy, the Secretary-General the Member States?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.