6 OCTOBER 1923, Page 2

The text of the Times leading article was the recent

action of Italy in refusing to submit her dispute with Greece to the league of Nations, although Italy had signed the Covenant promising to submit all disputes. We have often argued that a good rule would be that no diplomatic instrument could be denounced without a year's notice. We believe even now that if the consti- tution of the League of Nations were changed so as to make it primarily the custodian of the Sanctity of Treaty Contracts America would reconsider her present position of aloofness. It could be explicitly stated that the League did not in any way limit or derogate from 'the complete sovereignty of-States, except in the one respect that. no State would be allowed by the other members of the League to destroy a contract without a year's notice. Round that nucleus of practical good sense and practical honour every other kind of useful international machinery might be constructed.