Question

Is or is not the League of Nations a righteous world forum in which minor nations can successfully seek redress against encroachment by the Great Powers?

Recently Abyssinia, last native state in Africa to survive undominated by one or more of the Great Powers, protested to the League Secretariat (TIME, Aug. 9, ABYSSINIA) that Great Britain and Italy have concluded a mutual agreement for exploiting certain Abyssinian territories in defiance of the Empress Zauditu of Abyssinia.

Last week, though it was too early to hazard the statement that Abyssinia positively will not obtain justice or redress through the League, the Italian Foreign Office issued a significant statement: "The incidents culminating in a protest by Abyssinia to the League may be considered closed. The Government of France has indicated that it will not support the claims of Abyssinia before the League."

Since no other champion of Abyssinia against Britain and Italy can be imagined, the possibility that the League can or will adjudicate the rights of Abyssinia seemed dwindling to a remote infinitesimal. Subsequently both the British and Italian Governments made sheep's eyes, despatched letters to the League Secretariat declaring that their mutual agreement "cannot," according to the British letter, "detract from the rights of the Abyssinian Government which may take such decision as it may think fit or limit the possible action of third parties."

Since Abyssinia is impotent to take action against Britain or Italy the taking of Abyssinian decisions seems likely to proceed without momentous effect.