Evening star., 1936-03-24

ton to enforce its DEGREES against
powerful governments. l need only
refer to few of such outstanding
failures. The covenant Of the League
prohibited military alliances on the
part Of its members, and yet We know
that there are military alliances In
Europe and in Asia by those who are
members of the League of Nations.
You cannot serve two masters. You
cannot be in an alliance in the League
and in an alliance outside OF the
League.
Manchuria Cited.
The Assembly of the League OF
Nations, represented by AZ govern
ments, solemnly and positively de-
termined and declared that Japan was
an aggressor against China in Man
churia Japan and China were both
members of the League at that time
and voluntarily submitted their con-
troversies to adjudication by the
League. Japan treated the decree OF
the League with contempt and con-
tinued the conquest Of Manchuria.
The sovereignty of China has been
ousted from Manchuria, and yet the
League has ever since remained silent
and has taken no further action. The
League declared Italy aggressor against
Ethiopia, and demanded that Italy
cease hostilitieS. Italy openly chal-
lenged the decree, and continued its
war against Ethiopia. And then the
League declared It's intention to use
all its powers to punish the aggreSsor
and stop this war 1t imposed upon
/ Italy economic sanctions. These sane
tions being ineffective, the League
threatened to place an embargo upon
the shipment of oil to Italy. Italy
established The League did not place
an embargo upon oil, nor has it done
anything further toward the en-
forcement Of its decree.
am not passing upon the question
as to whether the action of the League
in any case was right or wrong. 1
cite the facts so that the effective
ness Of collective action for peace
may be intelligently weighed. 1 fully
realize the difficulties in which the
League has existed and acted. 1t
never was world league. 1t could
not be unless the defeated powers
had been invited to and had become
members OF the League. These powers
had rights to adjudicate as well as
other governments. They had the
right to be in the League and there
discuss the reasonableneSs of the
| terms Of peace imposed upon them
and the justice OF their demands for
modification Of such treaties of peace.
Whilst many governments are men,
bers Of the League there are but few
that possess military power. These
great governments have their age
long enemies and are therefore imbued
with hatred and inherent fear Lack
ing confidence In the physical power
of the League to protect them. they
have sought and made alliances. 1t
is hardly to be expected that they
will lend military aid to the enforce
ment of the Leagues DEGREES as
against military ally. In the cir
cumstanceS it is probably natural that
governments should have more conf
dence in their allies than they have
in the League Of Nations for the ulti-
mate protection OF their nationals
and their rights. 1t is true that many
members of the League will take upon
themselves the burden of imposing
sanctions upon q determined aggreSsor.
but few of these members will 60 to
war to punish the aggressor and en-
force the DEGREES Of the League. And
yet 1t Is obvious that unless suf-
ficient force is used-even to armed
force-and is exerted to compel obedi-
ence to the DEGREES of the League, that
then such DEGREES are not only futile
but are deceptive practices against the
weaker nations. This Is the chief
weakness of the League of Nations.
Balance Of Power Resumed.
Great Britain did not know what
members of the League would stand by
her in the event she was attacked by
European and Asiatic governments
recognizing these weaknesses Of the
League have returned to the former
policy Of balance of power and mill
tary alliances.
Witness the result of the nine pow
ers treaty on China, adopted at the
great convention in Washington in
1922: The United States, Belgium,
Great Britain, China, France, Italy,