I am indebted for the following to the Baltimore Sun
" Have we seen any League in action at all ? Is it what wo moan by a League, or is it a case of many small Statessayingditto to the British Empire ? "
" If threatened by the pOwer of Britannia's fleet, the Longue has ono comnarabie..polmr on the sea to oppose Groat Britain's will." " There is talk of gold and oil in Abyssinia. But I believe that if these were• there in such quantity as to be commercially valuable Abyssinia would have been absorbed by the British Empire fifty years ago."
" Britain 'is seeking by League sanctions to protect her lines of communications to the East ; to avoid the invasion .of Egypt by Italian garrisons in Libya, and to prevent the waters of Lake Tana from being diverted from the Blue Nile, which would be a cata- strophe to the Nile Valley."
Who is the author of these estimable sentiments ? Signor Mussolini ? Signor Gayda ? A spokesman of the Italian Foreign Office ? By 116 means They are emitted by 'an English lecturer, Mr. H. N. Brailsford, at Present touring the United States. ".Mr. Brailsford," according to the Sun; " spoke on the Italo-Ethiopian situation before a large: audience at Catherine Hooper Hall." The lecture was no doubt • lengthy; and the report is relatively brief, but it • contains not a syllable to suggest that Mr. Brailsford conceived it possible that League members were being actuated by principle. On the contrary. " Sentimental reasons," Mr. Brailsford• was careful to declare, " are affecting Great Britain little." I am. sometimes asked hoW American doubts of • British good faith are to be explained. Partially; Tshould suggest, by the 'fact that some English lecturers are not stopped at
Previous page
