Evening star., 1935-12-19
DishOnOr Rebuked.

WIN COlapSe OF IIle AIlSAO-EACAANA
program for dismembering Ethiopia, in
ternational double-dealing has suffered
a devastating rebuke Sir Samuel Hoare
has been forced out of the British foreign
secretaryship. The ministry of Premier
Laval, co-author of the plan to acquieSce
in Italy's aggression, is perilously near
the rocks. Geneva has cold-shouldered
the Hoare-Laval scheme virtually to
death.
Thus, on the verge of what seemed
its imminent doom, the principle OF
collective security against covenant
breakers is rescued. The Leagues pres
tige is re-established. MuSsoliniS hopes
of approval of lawleSs conquest are
smashed The result is a striking vic
tory for the power of modified world
opinion. Diplomacy has discovered that
when its works are conceived in iniquity
there is still abroad among the nations
O might capable of thwarting unjust
purposes.
Events have moved rapidly to rectify
the situation. Overwhelmed by the mag
nitude of popular protest against the
Ethiopian deal and the certainty of its
violent condemnation in the House of
Commons, Sir Samuel Hoare decided to
bend before the onrushing storm and
quit Office. His resignation followed a
demand by the cabinet that Hoare should
placate public opinion by voicing some
expression of regret Sir Samuel declined
to make what would have amounted to
a confession of blunder. 1t has been
arranged that the prime minister instead
will not only formally abandon the
Hoare-Laval proposals, but actually con-
denim them. BY this recourse, Mr..
Baldwin is to be spared vote of censure
sponsored by the Labor opposition.
While the London government thus
prepared to yield to the pressure of Brit
ish indignation, the French cabinet has
rocked to the point of destruction. Min
lister of State Herriot who, with his Radi-
cal Socialist group, is Lavals main par
1iamentary prop, announced that he
would leave the cabinet as a protest
against the premier's foreign policy,
which was bitterly aSSailed throughout
the Chamber as horse trading" and
faithlessness to the League. Later Her.
riot withdrew his resignation and the
life Of the government was temporarily
saved.
At Geneva the Council came effective
ly to grips with the Anglo-French prof.
ect to reward the aggressor" Neither
M. Laval nor Capt. Eden had a word to
say in its favor. Their only attempt to
justify the discredited bargain was the
contention that it represented the spirit
OF conciliation and was in general ac-
cordance with League desires for peace.
The tone of both the British and French
spokesmen was apologetic and utterly de-
void OF any desire to see the plan effect
ed. The Council did not formally scrap
the proposal, but no one expects its resur-
rection.
1t now remains to be determined to
what extent the League will proceed with
sanctions. Britain is believed ready to
resort to embargoes on oil, coal, steel
and iron, and other Geneva states are
hke-minded. Frances welI-known re-
1uctance may for the moment prove a
restraining influence against more dras-
tic penalties MuSSolini continues to
thunder defiance, but the Italians mill
tary position in Ethiopia, after ten weeks
Of indecisive operations, is far from sat-
iSfactory. On the home front, despite
Fascist fulminations, economic condi-
tions are progressively worse.
Having warded off the danger of ig-
nominious concessions to Italy, the
League now faces the manifest duty of
exerting to the limit its collective
strength toward bringing II Duce to
book. Having gone thus far, retreat is
inconceivable unless all vestige of
Genevas authority is to be obliterated.
1t still has opportunity to show aggres-
sorS everywhere that their day is gone.