INTERNATIONAL BAD MANNERS

The current League of Nations resolution censuring Japan's conduct in Manchuria, and proposing non-recognition censuring Japan's conduct in Manchuria, and proposing non-recognition of Manchukuo comes as a relief to all who questioned the results of the Hoover-Stimson declaration. The rapid decision of our state department to refuse recognition to a state created in violation of the Kellogg pact will, apparently, be vindicated by the League.

This, however, need not obscure the injudicious character of the declaration itself. That the United States had been the proponent of the Kellogg agreement can scarcely be held a justification for her single and private attack on Japan, without consultation of the other signees. It is practically certain that we should have resented the declaration had it come independently from France or England, and that the European parties to the pact were disagreeably surprised by our action seemed rather clear. Their governments, it is true, preserved a noncommittal silence, but popular feeling against the eclectic nature of our interest in international government was reflected in the caviling of many French journals. In fact, Dr. Herbert Gibbons, American historian who has just returned from the French colonies, states that a strong resentment against our methods in irresponsibly involving the rest of the world is widespread among Europeans.

Fortunately, the League assembly shows every indication of echoing the note of non-recognition independently sounded by Mr. Hoover and Mr. Stimson. That this will remove us from an embarrassing and anomalous situation is in no real sense creditable to our foreign policy. The significant feature of the entire proceeding is the proof we have given of international bad manners which, without the League support, might have had serious consequences.