There are indeed faint foreshadowings of possible developments. which might
assume either a hopeful or a sinister shape. The British Government shows signs of favouring a plan resembling that outlined in a leading article in last week's Spectator whereby the Emperor of Abyssinia should be invited to accept at the hands of the League of Nations, with, of course, full Italian participation, assistance in the pacification and develop- ment of his country and in particular in the suppression of slavery. There is nothing there which, as an independent ruler, he might not readily accept from the League of which his country is a member. But such a plan must be distinguished sharply from the proposal to give Italy anything in the nature of a mandate over Abyssinia. The one would be a 'piece of constructive statesmanship, the other a mere hypocritical subterfuge. If what Italy wants is to make Abyssinia a good neighbour the League is the right instrument for the purpose, and the only instrument. Meanwhile, the Emperor of Ethiopia in a statement to The Tines has indicated that he 'would go a considerable distance to meet Italy's demands, even accepting some cession of territory to her if this country is still ready to offer him the port of Zeila. Unfortunately, France as well as Italy seems determined to keeP'Abyssinia. landlocked.
