1 JANUARY 1927, Page 5

Englishmen who are accustomed to being accused of Imperialism—generally a

synonym for aggression— whenever British sailors or soldiers are landed in a foreign country will look on with interest (and, we may hope, with a rather more sympathetic understanding than can be expected from _most countries) -at developments in Central America. They know only too well that one step leads to another, and that people who are innocent of any desire to become entangled may be driven by circum- stances or by the pressure of intriguing third parties into action which the world refuses to distinguish from a predatory or oppressive policy. Central America is certainly a witch's cauldron at present, and it may bubble over.