NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE League of Nations Council meets on Monday week, and some decision will have to be taken on , the question of petrol sanctions. The repeated postpone- ments of a decision have to some extent changed the situa- tion. On the one hand, M. Laval's publicly declared objection, that the League could not act till it knew what the United States would do, will be completely disposed of if Congress accedes to President Roosevelt's demand that American exports be kept to their normal level, which represents no more than about 7 per cent. of Italy's peace-time requirement*. At the. same time the unity in defensive preparation now established between France and Britain in the Mediterranean area makes it incon- ceivable that Signor Mussolini should respond to oil sanctions by an act of war. On the other hand, it may be argued that the existing sanctions are already having their effect, and that Italy probably has sufficient stocks of petrol in hand to see her through this campaigning season. But it is more and more repugnant to the citizens of League States that Italy should be continuing to carry on a lawless war on petrol supplied by the favour of their Governments. It is obvious, moreover, that the Covenant plainly requires the stoppage of petrol supplies. In all the circumstances the right course is to carry out the Covenant. The League cannot lag behind America.
