5 JANUARY 1929, Page 25

* * * * Mr. J. M. Spaight, in Pseudo-Security

(Longmans, 12s. 6d.), suggests that the League of Nations has a useful function to fulfil in organizing for peace, but not in its forcible mainten- ance. •He wants, in short, to deprive Geneva of all temporal power. In so far as he is against the Latin idea of a " super- State," we can follow Mr. Spaight, although even then protesting that no signing of any Protocol would be likely to drive us (as he suggests) to fight a hypothetical European hegemony " from air bases West of the Shannon." However, the League has nothing to fear from criticism, and any sincere discussion about our commitments under Article 16 is to be welcomed. We are ourselves sure that the League requires no changes in its constitution. It is a flourishing child of this age of reason. It has averted several wars already. It is established in the heart and hope of the world. Give it time and it will give us peace.