Evening star., 1935-11-18
Sanctions in Force.


To-day is destined to be milepost IN
human history. 1t marks the launching
of the first attempt ever made to employ
collective action by the nations OF the
world for the purpose of stopping war
and rebuking violator Of international
law. Roundly, fifty countries have joined
in sanctions decreed by the League
against Italy as punishment for her ag-
gression in Ethiopia. BY Mussolinls
orders, flags are being flown from every
housetop to symbolic 1talys united and
implacable resistance" He has pro-
claimed November 18 as "the day OF
shame and iniquity' for the peoples who
have imposed commercial and financial
embargoes upon the Fascist land and re-
newed his pledge to marshal in its
economic defense "all the moral energy
and material resources of the nation"
In every community in Italy tablets will
be erected eternally to record the "enor-
nous injustice" of sanctions.
The bulk of civilized mankind is par
ticipating in the bloodless war now de-
clared upon Italy. AS a non member OF
the League, the United States is not
formally taking part in it, but in prin-
ciple the American Government has left
no doubt of its complete sympathy with
the great experiment. All question as to
this countryS desire to see sanctions
accomplish their purpose was removed
by Secretary Hull's statement at the end
of last week. Commenting on the revela-
ton that there has been a considerable
increase in American sales to Italy of
such essential war materials" as oil,
copper, trucks, tractors, scrap iron and
scrap steel, the Secretary declared that
this class of trade is directly contrary
to the policy of this Government and to
the general spirit of the recent neu-
trality act" Words could not make
palmer that the United States desires, to
the extent of its powers, to support COL
lective steps to halt Italy's aggressive
campaign, with its threat to the peace
OF the whole world.
1talys reserves of war sinews-raw
materials and food-are sufficient to
enable her to carry on, in spite of sane
tions, for some time to come. But MOTH
ing can be surer than that sooner or
later these penalties will bring irresistible
pressure to bear upon the country. Un-
able to export its own wares to foreign
markets or to import necessities from
them, ironclad isolation will eventually
make itself felt. Fascist bravado will not
prevail against it. The pinch of the shoe
will in due course become unbearable. AS
long as Italy's rapidly diminishing sup
ply of gold lasts she will be able here
and there, especially in neighboring coun-
tries like Germany, Austria, Switzerland,
Hungary and Albania, which are either
non-League members or approve sane
tions with reservations, to obtain certain
supplies. But these at best will only
enable the Italians to prolong for while
an existence which cannot permanently
be maintained on shortened rations.
JuSG HOW lOllS IL WILL NC bCiOAC tiiC
boycott brings Mussolini to his knees no
man can foretell. If it is maintained
with unity and vigor, it can have but
one outcome. Italy will be forced into
submission and to end hostilities in
Ethiopia on terms satisfactory to the
League. Any other result would COM
pound an international felony and au-
tomatically scrap the worlds machinery
for preservation of peace. II Duces
threats of eye-for-an-eye reprisals can
not avert the evil day to which his i'm
perial ambitions have doomed the great
Italian people. He will be fortunate if
at the bitter end of it all they are not
melted to destroy his dictatorship and
resume their rightful place among the
worlds democracies.