THE COURT-MARTIAL

The approaching court-martial of Major General Smedley D. Butler for his criticism of Premier Mussolini might appear questionable expediency from the layman's point of view, however imperative it may be for the Navy Department to carry out the formalities of necessary routine.

While the charges have not yet been made public, there can be little expected from the trial beyond affording material for American newspaper readers, who, as Mr. Walter Lippman says, thrive on personalities.

Undoubtedly the "hit-and-run" accusation was a blunder and has been officially acknowledged as such by the United States. The apology has in addition been accepted by Benito Mussolini and apparently the tumult aroused by the affair has died down in Italian circles. It would therefore seem that a prolongation of the incident would not only be an unnecessary expenditure of effort, but also contribute nothing to the improvement of international relations. Furthermore, the mud-slinging and fireworks usually attending American trials might serve to make the Butler statement even more aggravating abroad. Already Senator Heflin has shouted in the Senate that the Italian dictator is a "red-handed murderer" guilty of a "dastardly deed."

The general trend of American sympathy has so far been drawn toward Major General Butler and numerous petitions have been sent to President Hoover demanding clemency. Nevertheless, there are undoubtedly formalities of international ethics which the Navy Department is forced to respect, and the court martial may be purely a matter of naval routine. Whatever the circumstances, the best one can wish for is a speedy termination of an affair, which will add nothing to the cause of under-standing among nations in a world where indiscreet statements are often the cause of uncalled for ill-feeling.