NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE amended Covenant of the League of Nations was pub- lished in the papers of Monday. As regards the Council of the League, a provision has been introduced that " the number of Powers of each class represented on the Council may be increased by the unanimous consent of the Council and a majority of the Assembly." It is laid down that with certain exceptions—for example, in dealing with procedure—the decisions of both the Council and the Assembly must be unanimous. This exaction of unanimity gives a liberum veto to any one nation. We must remember what happened in Poland, where the liberum veto blocked all progress. Let us not blink this fact, unpleasant though it be. It is also provided that any member may with- draw from the League on giving two years' notice. These are very important changes; but quite as important is the declar- ation that " the Covenant does not affect the validity of regional understandings like the Monroe Doctrine for securing the main- tenance of peace."
