NEWS OF THE WEEK
MUCH has been made in the last few days of real and supposed differences in the Cabinet on the subject of disarmament and the line to be pursued before and at Geneva. Of course, there are differences on the subject—different lines of approach to the question present themselves to almost any two well-informed persons who meet to discuss a way out of the deadlock. But what dominates-the situation at the moment is not the shades of opinion in the Cabinet, but the differences between the Powers ; and there is only one country in the world which can give a lead to Europe at this moment, and that is -Great Britain. If when the Disarmament Conference .meets at Geneva the Governments are still without any basis of agreement, and no hopeful basis of agreement presents itself, what is to happen if France draws attention to the fact that Germany has violated the terms of the Treaty of Versailles ? Patently the Treaty will not be and cannot be enforced. But what is to take its place ? Germany rearming without any agreement, France protesting, this country increasing its air armaments, and universal mistrust ?
