NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE Government policy on sanctions will have been announced before these words appear. Everyone knows what the decision is, but not the grounds on which it is based, or how far it goes. The inspiring policy of last September—" the collective maintenance of the Covenant in its entirety, and, particularly, steady and collective resistance to all acts of unprovoked aggression "—has gone by the board, and the authors of the most flagrant act of unprovoked aggression of modern times are to be left to the enjoyment of their spoils. Mr. Eden will make the best case he can for that decision. The vital question now is the Government's attitude to the League in the future. Some reconsideration there must be in the light of past events, and all wisdom points to the strength- ening of military pledges under regional agreements within the general orbit of the League, coupled with a reaffirmation and development of economic and financial sanctions, to be applied relentlessly by all League members against any declared aggressor anywhere. On that basis the League might not only survive, but in some regions at any rate prove increasingly effective. But there is an undisguised tendency, both inside the Cabinet and out- side, to whittle away sanctions, economic no less than military, altogether. That must be vigilantly watched and vigorously resisted. For that way lies the destruction of all hopes of the building up of an international order collectively guaranteed.
