The Raw Materials Enquiry The appointment by the League of
Nations Council of a committee to discuss the question of equal access to raw materials ought to be an event of the first import- ance. Whether it will be depends partly on the com- mittee's own activities, and partly on the attitude adopted towards it by countries which have complained most of their need of raw materials and the difficulty of acquiring them. Foremost among these, of course, are Germany and Italy. It was in their interests mainly that Sir Samuel Hoare referred, in his speech at the League Assembly of 1985, to Great Britain's willingness to have the whole question investigated, and it was with the same end in view that Mr. Eden revived his predecessor's proposal last September. Unfortunately' neither Germany nor Italy has so far chosen to be repre: sented, though Japan, more wisely, has. It does not appear that the possibility of subsequent German and Italian participation is ruled out, but if such countries, when the League takes up their grievances and goes half-way to meet them, prefer to make no response, international co-operation becomes impossible, and lb, reasons that are all too obvious.
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