Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-09-12
The Lion ROars.

Crisis succeeds crisis at Geneva, but
at no point of the tortuous Italo Eth
OMAN conflict have matters reached the
point to which they were brought by
Great Britain's stand before the League
Assembly Yesterday. Sir Samuel Hoare,
her foreign secretary, in an address OF
unequivocal directneSS, demanded that
the League exhaust its powers in curblng
violations of the Covenant. He athrmed
that Britain advocates steady. collec-
tive resistance to all acts OF unproVoked
aggression" Sir Samuel recalled the
recent overwhelming British pleblsclte
in favor of the League as evidence lllaI
the views he was expressing represent
mo variable. unreliable sentiment, but
principle of international conduct TO
which the British people and their gov
eminent hold with firm, enduring, UNI
versal persistence" 1t would be lmpos-
sible for a responsible statesman to be
more categorical or TO utter Sterner
warning to a nation bent upon detylng
the worlds will for peace.
Early indications reveal no sign that
the British position has caused any
change of heart in MuSSolini. There are
even intlmations that II Duce has hxed
upon October 10 as the zero hour for
hostihties. Meantime he is arranging
for a spectacular demonstration Of 1tal-
ian manpower. AT a certain psychology
ical moment he intends to mobilize
100000 persons. ranging from youths
of eight and ten years Of age to veterans
long past the period Of active military
service, as an impressive symbol that
Italy possesses boundlesS human re-
sources for any eventualities, no matter
how severely her energies are taxed by
war in Africa.
While Britains spokesman did not
specifically mention that his country is
prepared to impose sanctions in case
Italy violates the Covenant, he diScloSeS
British readiness to resort to such eX-
tremes, only Stressing that there is no
intention OF acting Single-handedly. In
the field of collective" steps, the Brit
ish would be second to none
Not the least significant feature of the
British pronunciamento in its warming
that the Leagues failure to meet its
present obligations would burn the
bridge that unites Great Britain and
the Continent. That is a suggestion
of onainous import to France and is a
persuasive. invitation to her to support
Britain. Premier Laval will address the
Assembly tomorrow. He faces the dell
entente with Italy or running the
risk of alternating Britain'S priced friend
ship and practically Wrecking the
League. France has ever the German
menace to her eastern frontier in mind.
She has now to decide between the
prospect of Italian aid in Austria and
the Balkans when the time comes and
the chance that British support would
be available if Germany and Italy
should again come together.
The outlook for peace is far from
bright. The League Councils concilia-
ton efforts have come to naught. Over
lures to make Italy wide economic and
even some territorial concessions have
been rejected. Rome insists upon its
right to carry out a purely localized
colonial campaign She demands that
the League keep hands off and thus
avert IAN absurd European tragedy" The
next few hours should show whether
Geneva is prepared supinely to yield to
MuSSolini's dictation.