BRITISH PRESTIGE
To the Editor of Tim SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Unfortunately, it must be admitted that the League of Nations has failed to realise the somewhat Utopian objects of its formation.
Last Sunday Herr Hitler said : " The claim for German colonial possessions will therefore be voiced, from year to year, with increasing vigour."
Now, such German colonies as we now administer are not in any sense actual British possessions, but are merely held under mandate of the League of Nations. Such a mandate in existing circumstances practically resolves itself into a reductio ad absurdum, inasmuch as Germany, as well as other great Powers, is not a member of the League in its present attenuated form, yet from which, as a whole, the mandate is supposed to be derived. We, moreover, at the time of the War, disclaimed any intention of annexing any portion of conquered enemy territory.
British prestige is naturally and rightly dear to every member of the British Commonwealth of Nations, but it need not be endangered nor sacrificed if a suggestion were to be made to the League as at present constituted, that the time has come when the mandate should be withdrawn, and with that a grievance with its attendant dangers to peace.
It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the Union of South Africa would strongly oppose the withdrawal of the mandate over Tanganyika. Yet, at the same time, neither is it beyond the bounds of hope that this important member of the British Commonwealth would agree to such a step if it were realised that it was more than likely to be of paramount impor- tance in its bearing with regard to the avoidance of inter- national strife and the security of the British Commonwealth as one united whole and the maintenance of world peace.—I am,
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