THE WORLD 397

The effect of these Articles is to make all war a defiance of the
Covenant, unless the nation waging it has adopted one of the
methods of peaceful settlement, obtained a judgment or award
or unanimous Council decision in its favour, and waited three
months after the award has been given. A nation waging war
within these conditions may be helped, and must not be hindered,
by League Members. What is to happen if any Nation wages
war in circumstances other than these ? "It shall be deemed'', says
Article 16, "to have committed an act of war against all other
Members of the League". They are to 'cut off all trade a$d
intercourse with it—Le0 to impose "economic sanctions", in
which the Members are to support one another. The Council
is to advise how best the Members can use their Armed Forces
to impose " military sanctions", and Members are to allow the
necessary passage of troops through their territory for this
purpose. Article 17 invites States outside the League to use
League procedure if they wish; if they refuse, and attack Members,
the sanctions of Article 16 are to be used against them.

COLLECTIVE SECURITY.

The mechanism clearly provides every opportunity for peace-
able settlement, whether through the League itself or any other
agency accepted by the parties concerned. It establishes the
principle that whatever the merits of a dispute may be, it is
wrong for either party to refuse outside judgment and endeavour
to get what it conceives to be its rights by force. On this principle
all law and order, whether between States or individuals, must be
based. A man may be subjected to annoyance and outrage by his
neighbour; but he must not avenge himself by force because, if
that were permitted, anarchy would result as each man took the
law into his own hands. But the State can only expect individuals
:o obey this rule, if it provides "collective security"—i.e., if it
aas the will and the power necessary to restrain lawbreakers. The
League has no international Armed Force, and this may appear
i weakness in its mechanism. While the practical difficulties of