There lies the danger of public and semi-public diplomacy as
conducted nowadays in Conferences. The greatest successes maybe achieved" by this method, but by far the most harmful failures too. For that reason we are particularly anxious that the Disarmament Con- ference should quickly show signs of tangible successes in spite of all the tremendous difficulties of the times. It is too soon now to form any idea. of how it has set to- work again, but we hope for a promising account next week.' Nothing could help the League more, and the League is,' unfortunately, being very severely criticized. We say most seriously that if the League is to fulfil our hopes for the world, it must this year increase its authority Which- will otherwise grow less. 'Fourteen years after the Armistice, the Disarmament Conference is only beginning' to try to do something, and it is not only hasty people who complain. The Council is severely blamed (with,' in our opinion, a good deal of ignorance and injustice) because it could not stop all fighting in China. If the naval and military parties in Japan increase their power, at- well they may by all that we hear, Japan may do more than threaten to leave the League. The latest pronounce-' ment of the Fascist Party in Italy makes a veiled threat against the League, if she should not get her way, par.' tieularly in Eastern Europe. The League must maintain its authority whatever these important members say or do. On a smaller scale it is likely that an attempt wilt be made to flout it in South 'America. Bolivia and Paraguay, whom the League has once already had to hold back on the leash from fighting, arc said to be gaily preparing once more to fight over their frontier this year,
* * * *
