23 JUNE 1933, Page 6

. * * * Could anything be imagined more pitiable

than the continued drift of the quarrel between this country and Russia ? Here is a conference of which both the British Foreign Minister and the Soviet Foreign Minister, to say nothing of the British Prime Minister, are members.

They meet in the lobbies. They meet on committees.

Mr. Litvinoff goes to Windsor and is received (like other delegates) by the King. But does Sir John Simon say one word to Mr. Litvinoff, or ,Mr. Litvinoff one word to. Sir John Simon, about the Moscow trial, or the embargo Great Britain declared as result of it, or the counter-embargo Russia declared as result of that ? To the best of my knowledge, not one. Each, I suppose, is waiting for the other to begin. If so I can only hope there is some possible intermediary with sufficient public spirit to take an initia- • tive in the matter and sufficient authority to make himself felt. I could suggest one or two, if necessary.