NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE diplomatic aspect of the Italo-Abyssinian conflict is in some respects as obscure as the military. At Geneva the process of reaching agreement on the practical application of sanctions is making as good progress as could be expected in a conference of over fifty nations some of whom may be involved by particular measures in considerable sacrifice. The arms embargo against Abyssinia has been raised, too late to be of much effect, and a general ban on all financial facilities for Italy adopted—but that again counts for little, since Italy's credit is such that on purely business grounds any loan would be unobtainable. On further economic sanctions there is the usual diver- gence between the British and French points of view. Ur. Eden is obviously right in pressing for an immediate decision on the prohibition by all League States of all imports of Italian origin. On that there ought to be no argument whatever, for Article XVI of the Covenant is explicit : " all trade or financial relations " are to be severed immediately against a Member of the League resorting to war in breach of its covenants. The French, however, are pressing for the exclusion from Italy of certain key products, and have secured prior discussion of that. But the decision on Mr. Eden's proposal should be taken by the end of the week.
