FUTURE LEAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 27, 1 February 1940, Page 16

FUTURE LEAGUE.

AN URGENT NEED. UNITED STATES OF EUROPE? HOW TO REPLACE JUNGLE LAW. (By WILLIAM C. JIcCLOY.) Tlic Idea, of a federation of "nations which many thinkers envision as a guarantor of peace after the present war is - ended is discussed here in th<\ second of 1 a series of three articles tracing the 'idea of a - federation of. ' Governments from the days of the early Greeks to the present. *

The year 1940 finds a practical, work- ] ing League of Nations nearer at hand \ than ever .before. From a remote possibility—a dream —it. lias \become ail • urgent necessity. Adolf Hitler has done • little was constructive, but he lias ! at least done that. "In the rocket's red glare, with bombs bursting "in air," men and women tlie world over are eagerly discussing' liow nations may ' best coordinate and keep the spirit of peace and goodwill—not just at Christmas time, but all the years 'round. Idealists, realists, poets, soldiers, philosophers, statesmen, men of affairs, and, aboVe all, the workers —they who make no great amount of money out .of war, but upon whom most of war's afflictions . fall—all are * trying hard to evolve a plan for a successful federation of Gov- 3 crnmcnts. . ' c "A United; States of Europe," the late * Aristide Briand, Premier of France, called it, quoting Victor Hugo's phrase, s autographed;upon the wall of the room J ill the Place des Vosgcs, Paris, where he J died: "There will issue first —a United t States of Europe; then a United States k . of the world." 1 Why lias the present League failed? < What were its mistakes? What lack left ( it impotent when lawless States broke their pledges and went to war? Is it as Lloyd George once declared at a meeting 1 of the League. "You will never get war * out of the world until you get war out 1 of the hearts of men?" These are some j of the questions that must be answered. Effect bf Versailles Treaty. The Versailles Treaty with which 1919's League was "inextricably entangled" did much to wreck its associate. With curious uuintcUigcnce, the Treaty's map-making paid small atten- 'i tion to, history, geography and psychology, and then it,expected the League to maintain*peace! War every twenty years was a logical consequence. Another reason why the League fell short of its high intentions was that those responsible *for it were not singleminded. No one, lofty disinterested purpose united and animated thenr; each had* his own axe to grind, and not all of the best quality.' Clemeneeau's idea was to guarantee the 'security of France. He was for the League—for everything—that insured that security. Most other Governments, led by Britain, wanted to arrange their war debts;* nullify them, if possible. By all means a League of Nations, if it could bring that about. Both bankers and politicians- could think of nothing but the money end—reparations, financial obligations, ; customs—all • gross material issues. : Even Kaiser..Willi elm- wanted to get back to business. When told that Germany was beaten,;he was reported at the lime.to have said: "liieres nothing to do but 'stop the war and get the .United States to pay the debts. It lias all the money/V;.-W-i ~ Woodrow AVilnoir alone wanted the League to keep the peace; He got the League, but L the' world didn't get the 'peace'. v .. "/;• v 4 •• v\- • v;--. jv.• \. .• There .are".' but two -ways of escape, say the experts,' from ■ the jiingle-law . among nations—disarmament and cooperation. To he effective, disarmament must be complete and immediate. Partial disarmament doesn't 'seem to work. But an overwhelming .police, force is imperative. The greatest error in 1919's League lay in providing no police force. • Co-operation must come gradually— by degrees, and always with the idea of proving false the ancient dictum:— "Small nations exist not by reason of their . power, but through the jealousy of large nations." To-morrow's League will do well to go slowly and gradually. The League created, in'lOl!) to do too much amp too quickly. ; Federal Principle Alone. Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler,. President .of Columbia University',, is a foremost champion : of; co-operation. In an address'delivered' last September lie "Co-operation—the federal principle—alone, has the power to. make it possible for .modern, man to'solve his unbelievably difficult find complicated problems—social, economic and. political . . The federal principle must not "be confounded with groups or alliances among Governments v 'for ~ their.own aggrandizement.". Do many of us realise /that, .for. years past; the platforms.; of our two. major political parties ' have endorsed: , "the formation of an. international co-opera-tion-to maintain peace?" Yet little liafi been done about it. :. '• • "How,y asks Dr.. Butler, "can this tremendous and 1 ;. critical. . problem 'be lifted, from the realm of discussion to that of early and definite action? .v. . The overwhelming"-; majority of men have to-be taught, and'it'takes a long - time to teach\theih." . /* He reminds us that the Federal Government of. the :• United States : "stands before the whole - world as an instructor 'in what the : federal principle /• may accomplish over an enormous area aiid varied population." . Switzerland, too, 'is an example for guidance.•> "This * country has .many small. towns and cities only moderately sized; ;.its high mountains, deep valleys I and r many streams and lakes invite the development of 6mall \ y communities : instead of a, federation. Some two-! thirds of the people speak German, most of the remaining • one-third , speak French, though- a considerable ■ number speak -Italia'n. The population is divided' almost- 'equally into - Roman Catholics and Protestants, with a greater number -of - Protestants'.Yet these people, so placed and with such diverse backgrounds, have succeeded in working out a plan of-national unity which is. wholly consonant '"with /civil liberty and " with local ; sel£-government.v Switzerland, of course; has .passed through its'difficult periods: " These ;>vere".!iii :part 7 <ln'e to religious " strife and in part ;to the rivalry between urban and rural cantons. But taken as a whole and looking . backward Jover more, than years, it is clear tliat SwitzerlandY has a most important lesson'to teach this modem world." — /•

Nightmare of Economic Nationalism.

• Any reorganisation of the League of Nations,- says Dr. Butler, should first 6f all consider two .sets of problems: monetary and economic. "The : future League should establish a monetary standard* as fixed* and*..definite as the meter and kilogram. The Latin Monetary League, • formed in 18(57 through « the co-operation of France, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Greece, and lasting some SO years, is instructive. -Much j may be learned from the causes for its discontinuance as well as from its organisation."" Amicable trade relations will bring peace nearer. "Violent and prcdatoiy economic nationalisms is -certainly tiie chief cause for the depression that has i gripped the world for a decade." In this ( long list of important problems to bo < settled successfully only through international federal organisation, Dr. Butler includes "the due reward of manual labour." i Most thoughtful persons agree in-the 1 general principle of co-operation, ihey ] 'differ only as to details—how can it best 1 bo applied, worked out, and what arc its j most important points ? Sir "Walter Lay ton, British economist, ir? convinced that'the police force essential to successful international co-ordina-tion should be largely in the air. "If the people of Europe are to be secure within their own frontiers the air menace must be removed," lie says. "The only way to do this is to abolish all national military aviation in Europe and to create a professional air force under the direction of an international air authority. The air must be patrolled internationally- for the preservation of peace." In this, Sir Walter echoes the member of Spain's late International Brigade who, according to Vincent Sheean, while they crouched for shelter in a ravine with murderous bombing 'planes i oaring over? head, declared: "If ever I have any Apolitical power I'll make it a crime for. anybody to make lise of it in any <vav or even to manufacture any sort of aeroplane." ; One Hemisphere At a Time. Xo-morrow's Federation of Nations would best confine itself to the Continent of Europe,- and at first perhaps to certain European sections. One hemisphere at a time. More than any other one factor did the fear of having to police Europe keep the United States of America from joining 1919's League. Long years must pass and.there must be much experimental work, with plenty of testin" 1 , proving and rehearsing, ' before Tennyson's "Parliament of Man, the Federation of the World," becomes an actuality. > , Timing will be as important to to-morrow's League N as it is to motion pictures. "The machinery for redressing any grievances that may, arise," advises Sir Walter Lay ton,. • "must operate freely, • impartially and without delay; , the sanctions against any act-must-be immediate .and overwhelming." The order to cease firing upon battlefields wilL;do very little good if economic warfare' continue' Economic co-ordina-tion among nations must be impartial, sincere and, as soon as possible, comprehensive. "Federate or perish/' warned Clement Attlee, Leader of the Opposition of Britain's House of Commons. He, too, puts economic..problems first and points to the military and financial co-operation recently established between the French and English; Governments as of prime significance. "Other countries will follow suit; all countries .will some day ally themselves economically." I Suppression Its Own. Ruin. H. G. Wells begs for more,; frankness in the conduct of any'futiire League of Nations.- "Xhe old League was too conservative, half-hearted, diplomatic. So great and. profound a break with all traditions and existing forms of government should operate only 111 a blaze of light.' The proposal banish armed conflict from the world is revolutionary, apd should be.dealt.with openly. Suppression ruined the late League, as it must sooner or later ruin the totalitarian States and Eussia. International vague insincerities, mutual distrust and sabotage mean 110 hope for mankind but a final extinction." .T • " | ; Thomas'.W. Lamont, famous financier, looks eagerly, forward jto the day when | there Svill iio longer be any between' nations and no Customs, making I tlie i" world a great free market' and ihoneyrniaking easy for everybody. j i Many point out that in a true federar tioriythe central"Government represents 5 the people-directly; a" confederacy has. 5 less power, less control, ,th'e principle 5 of States' rights interfering with what * is be'st for tlie Government as a whole, i* To accomplish all that has been left : undone or'-'done wrongly, to-morrow's * League, must organise as a true federal tion.The whole is greater than any of J its parts?. ■ . ; The Statute of Westminster, enacted » in 1931~and bringing into existence the - British' Commonwealth of Nations, Dr.; - Butler ranks with those other milestones r in the progress of civilisation, the French 1 Revolution and the" organisation of the F Government of the United States under : -the .Federal Constitution, both .of the ). ..greatest importance in the* history of ! constitutional law. The year 1939 marks - the 150 th anniversary, of both.—N.A.N.A.