Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Over 50 Years.] SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1930. UNITED STATES OF EUROPE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 21 June 1930, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Over 50 Years.] SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1930. UNITED STATES OF EUROPE.

A few years ago M. Briand was awarded the Nobel Prize for his efforts in the cause of pejace. liis scheme for a “United JStates of Europe” is a continuation of his pacificatory endeavours. His idea is that those European nations which are members of the League should be organised on a federal basis for certain, purposes of an economic, industrial and utilitarian character. His aim is not unity, but the co-operation of free, and independent States, which would retain their sovereignty while submitting to joint direction various operations at present largely left to unco-ordinated management. He believes that the adoption of this plan would lead to the progressive reduction of tariff's, and, by creating a community of interests, would diminish the danger of war. The proposal is open to several criticisms, some of which he has himself anticipated. Thus the League has already theoretical jurisdiction in many of the spheres of activity enumerated. It has constituted committees on communications and transit, hygiene, economic organisation, and so forth. Conferences on these subjects are held from time to time, and reports issued. When machinery is already available, what is to be gained by duplicating it? Moreover, should the project accomplish anything of value, Avould it not, to that extent, impair the dignity and the utility of the League?_ M. Briand, however, does not think that his scheme would affect the League in any way. His “United States of Europe” would stand apart from the League, being an association with a more limited function. Europe forms economically, though not racially, a fairly closely knit nexus; the European States have manv ’mints of contact. It might be argued that M. Briand \s

proposal is too ambitious, and that the Powers would never consent to hand over such important matters to the control of a central authority. Possibly they would not, but already it is recognised that there are certain things in which some measure of international regulation is desirable. All civilised countries subscribe to the rules of the International Postal Union. In Europe “through” railway traffic and transport in navigable rivers of international concern are subject to conventions. Moreover, in one of the activities mentioned in M. Briand’s list, namely, the creation of cartels in the principal industries, the process of internationalisation has actually begun. In 1926 was concluded the Potash Agreement for the pooling of interests in what is now virtually a Franco-German monopoly. Later in the year it was followed by the Iron Agreement, which embraces Belgium and Luxemburg as well as France and Germany, and lays the foundation of a gigantic European combine for _ the control of production and prices to an unprecedented degree. In 1927 an agreement was completed between the electrical industries of the two countries, and the same year a Franco-German chemical trust came into being. Thus, three essentials of modern agriculture — potash, phosphates and nitrates—are tied into a single bundle of interests, as are coal, iron and steel.