Is it kinder to leive an aggressive nation alone—apply- ing
it to no constraint of force—until it madly proceeds to the supreme horror Of war ? Or is it kinder to -Ciit .off its communications with the rest of the 'World -inid bring it to reason before it is too late, although the boycott may mean a shortage of food ? And so again in war itself. Is it kinder to shorten a war by means' eans of a blockade or to let it run its course because that weapon is pro- hibited ? We pose these questions, not to prejudice the issue, but only to indicate the quality of the discussion ivhiCh will arise. We gladly believe that in this country there will be no hesitation whatever in trying earnestly to solve the problems which Mr. Hoover hai submitted, bit we should deceive ourselves if we did not foresee that even here there will be a tendency to prefer approved methods of safety to guarantees which must be of variable value because they are on a purely moral plane.
