The Arbitration and Security Committee of the League of Nationg
meet again on February20th. The rayporieurs have 'prepared for it a very' important memorandum in which the hands of Dr. Benesh 'and M. Politis are evident. They prOpose no new general Security Pact binding upon all Members of the League, believing that (as we suggested during the diScusSions of the Protocol) " the common will for peace can be exercised effectually within the fratnework of the Covenant." For the present they recommend special or collective treaties, especially regional pacts for States in search of security. The progress we foresee will be slow, but it may well be the surer for that. We hope that all this work will be sympathetically studied in the United States. Americans must see the need that their treaties with members of the League should involve no incon- sistencies. The Big Navy group in the States seems to be suffering from stern critics, and public opinion there may watch the efforts of Europe towards peace in a more tolerant spirit. On Wednesday, in the House of Lords, Lord Cushendun was not to be moved by Lord Cecil into any quicker advance on our part towards disarmament.
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