Italy and the World If the Council of the League
behaves weakly, it will , achieve nothing. If the representative of Great Britain . is not insistent, nobody will be insistent. If, on the other hand, the League behaves with resolution, Italy, may be tempted to find a way. out, under its auspices, from the difficulties which are crowding in upon her on every side. Her action has already aroused a storm of hoStile Criticism in Japan which, it will be remembeied, is a larger exporter of goods to Abyssinia—chiefly cotton goods and yarn—than any other country ; and the violence of the Italian Press against Japan has only served to inflame Japanese opinion. At the same time Italy is faced with the prospect of a financial and currency, crisis. If she plunges into war with Abyssinia she will not haVe that synipathy abroad which would be favour-, able for the successful floating of a foreign loan ; finding it difficult enough in any case to pay for her normal imports; she would be faced with the necessity Of im- porting costly war material in . addition. If Great Britain presses strongly enough for the adoption of the prescribed League procedure, that procedure will bo followed. It will be a great thing if peace can be main- tained until such time as Italy has fully considered whether she can afford to have world opinion against her. She may prefer to accept the good offices of the League to help her out of the extremely awkward position into which she has brought herself.
