NEWS OF THE WEEK
HE refusal of Italy to attend a conference of the three principal Mediterranean Powers on the withdrawal of foreign troops from Spain has faced Britain and France with the difficult choice between raising the question, as Italy suggested, in the Non-Intervention Committee and taking immediate and drastic steps such as the opening of the French frontier and the withdrawal of all embargo on the supply of munitions to the Spanish Government. As this would mean the final abandonment of everything the supporters of non-intervention have fought for for fifteen months, and might lead to a gravely perilous extension of the Spanish hostilities, both the British and French• Governments have rightly decided to make one more en- deavour to achieve effective action thrOugh the Non-Inter- vention Committee, which meets for that purpose this week. But if deliberate delay is fostered there by the Powers which have been agreeing to non-intervention and actively intervening, then separate action by Britain and France will be inevitable. International law has receded far into the background during the Spanish conflict, but the ivy() Western democracies would be acting in strict -accordance with such law in removing the barriers to normal relations with the Government at Madrid. A great deal will depend' on the attitude Germany adopts in the Non-Intervention Committee discussions, though presumably the' 'so-called Berlin-Rome axis will be the chief consideration with her. Germany, none the less, is believed to have lost all her enthusiasm for entanglement in Spain.
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