* * * * Mr. Lansbury's Leadership Mr. Lansbury candidly
admits that he does not hold the same view as his colleagues in the Labour Party about. the use of sanctions against a nation which has violated the Covenant of the League. In all circum- stances he is opposed to the use of armed force. In view of the urgeney which this question may assume at any moment he suggests that it might be desirable that some other leader should be chosen who could express the opinions of the party with conviction. The position is undoubtedly a delicate one. If Mr. Lansbury's party were in power there would be no question about it—a Cabinet on such a matter at such a juncture would have to be united. Even with his party in opposition, if Parliament were sitting and called on to discuss the Abyssinian issue it would be embarrassing if the Labour leader were unable to state the Labinir view. And as it is, if the situation should reach the point where the sanction of force has to. be threatened, it would be a handicap to the Labour Party if its Parliamentary leader could not personally declare its views. Events are moving rapidly and Mr. Lansbury may feel he must go. But the , appearance of a Labour Party split on this issue would be unfortunate.
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