Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-26

Rome modified Paris and London
fastened to give their approval. In
the Manchurian affair face was saved
by the Lytton report which Condemned
what could not be prevented, but 1t is
fair to calculate that there will not
be even Lytton report in the Eth
Opian episode.
Under such circumstances what be-
comes of the proposal that the United
States join in the so-called collective
system to maintain peace-Whether
that system centers in Geneva or else
where? Actually no such system ex-
lists. or can exist. in the contemporary
world. From Geneva, Japan and Ger
many, as well as the United States,
are already absent. And the slightest
effort Of the League to perform its
obvious duty in the present Ethiopian
situation would prove signal for an
immediate Italian withdrawal. And
with Germany, Japan and Italy out,
what value would American entrance
have?
To have blocked Japanese opera
lions In Manchuria, Britain and
France would have been compelled to
join efforts with the Soviet Union In
the same fashion, to check Italian
operations against Ethiopia. Britain
and France would have TO use force
against Italy. Force and force alone,
represented in Italian mobilization,
was responsible for the failure of the
Hitlerian adventure in Austria. To
keep peace, therefore, 1t is now nee
eSsary to be ready to make war.
League a Tool for Big Nations.
What few American champions OF
the League have as yet recognized is
that Geneva has for all practical pur-
poses become no more than an instru-
ment in the hands of the status quo
powers of the European continent.
They can use it. as they did after
their Stresa agreement. to condemn
the course of their German opponent.
And they can do this because for all
four States-Britain, France, Italy
and the Soviet Union-Germany is
common danger When these four
powers can agree, as they can about
German aims and performances. then
the League serves their purposes and
they employ it.
When. however. their interests are
not such as to permit them to give
effect to League principles, as was the
case in the Manchurian affair, then
aggression passes unrestrained and is
at best only formally rebuked When,
moreover, one of the four powers I'M
dertakeS an aggression, as Italy is do
ing today, concern for their own Sc
curity in the face of the German
threat prevents action by the others
1t was different when MuSSolini seized
Corfu in 1922, for at that time Italy
was not necessary to France or Britain
and London and Paris spoke firmly
But Mussolini has learned his lesson,
and today his challenge. alike to the
covenant of the League and to various
other international pacts. will be
greeted by silence Of assent, II not
of consent.
Exactly the same thing happened
in the World Court when Germany
and Austria attempted to make tariff
union in 1881. Under French coercion
the question was carried TO the court
and in that court the decision was
rendered by judges whose votes were in
accord with the political alignment of
their countries AS a mere question
of right and reason, no one could
question the proposed treaty. Ger
many and Austria were sovereign
states and their governments and
parliaments both approved the project.
But, because for political reasons first
France and later Italy opposed the
plan. the World Court pronounced it
illegal.
War Of Conquest in Prospect.
Unless all signs fail, We shall pres
emily see Italian troops engaged in a
vast campaign of conquest in Ethiopia.
AS a practical matter. there is no
reason for Italy'S not taking Ethiopia
which did not exist against the French
seizure of Tunis or the British an
nexation of the Boer republics.
Morally. the three things are of the
same sort. But it was the theory of
Wilson and those who. with him. made
the League. that all peoples had by
1919 voluntarily renowned such adj
ventures. In point of fact, only the
countries which had already got
theirs" by previous colonial wars and
we're now satisfied had made any such
remuneration.
The United States. Britain and
France had by conquest acquired what
they wanted at the expense of other
countries and of native races. They,
therefore. announced that the period
Of plundering was over. We had taken
an empire from Mexico, the French
had suppressed the Barbary states,
the British had conquered the South
African republics. But for Japan
satisfaction waited upon the conquest
Of Manchuria; for Italy possession of
Ethiopia was desirable. And in the
same fashion National Socialist Ger
many, through the voice of its prophet,
Hitler, proclaims its purpose TO seize
the Soviet Ukraine.
No one can seriously argue that
there is not the same degree of right
or wrong in the Italian seizure of