League of Nations

THE discussion of the proposal for the establishment of a League of Nations, an organised combination of Powers strong enough to safeguard the peace of the world has as yet gone little further than to familiarise the public mind with the principle of the international machinery which it is hoped may be set up. The Allied Governments must win the present war before they can attack seriously the problem of the prevention of future wars. In the meantime the project is more or less nebulous, and there seems to be no clear consensus

of opinion among statesmen favourable to it as to the essential factors in the constitution of the league if it is to receive an adequate chance of accomplishing its high purpose. Mr G. N. Barnes, a member of the British War Cabinet, has this week expressed definitely the view that the inclusion of Germany in a league of nations should not be contemplated, because that would involve a reversion to the old danger.

The argument adduced by Mr Barnes is not elaborated in the cabled summary of his speech. It may be a debatable point whether the inclusion or exclusion of Germany in the proposed league would be attended with the greater risk of ‘‘reversion to the old danger’’, for it is possible to argue that the league could hardly be effective with Germany outside it, free to indulge her dreams of domination.