13 JANUARY 1933, Page 6

Mr. John Buchan's attack on the League of Nations Union

is a little odd in view of his close friendship with Lord Cecil, who is one of the two Presidents of the Union. But Lord Cecil was, in fact, excepted from the condemnation. The criticism has a rather hollow sound, for true-blue ConServatives like Sir Austen Chamberlain, Lord Eustacc Percy and Major J. W. Hills are all members of the. Union's executive, to say nothing of Lord Lytton, and so were Major Elliot, Major Ormsby-Gore and Mr. R. S. Hudson before they became Ministers. That ought to be sufficient offset to the " cranks, sentimentalists and publicists." The University Unionists before whom the L.N.U. was thus arraigned acted wisely in urging Conservatives to go into the Union and try to make it what they think it ought to be. * * * *