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Show 119 118 designed to realize the idea of a world unity in the great field of economic life. llnt we must not proceed to an enumeration. lt is only our purpose to point out the significance of these great \mmi euw idll ""Jlu positive movements. \\'hen we once appreciate the sweep of the forces involved, we are impelled to the c<>iicltisi<,>n that world organization is no longer an ideal but is an accomplished fact. The foundations in international life have been laid by the slow working of economic and social causes; not guided by the con- scious will of man. but responding and logically expresing the deepest needs of human life. i The international ore't'nnzation of today respects ethnic enti- ties as essential forms of social organization within their proper limits, just as the modern state respects the autonomy of towns, provinces and member states. \\'e are not able to dispense with the psychic unitics which at the present time lie back of soy» ereignty and give it force. \\‘hile the internationalism of today looks far beyond the narrow ideal of exclusive and independent national sovereignty, it is no less, hostile to an artificial world state. the fruit of military conquest. forcing upon the world a rigid uniformity, a dull and deadeningr monotony. lnstcad of this, it would develop international life through the fostering of actual forces that manifest themselves and secure an expression broader than national life. "here men are impelled to emoperate, organizations will be constructed to make their cosoperation easy and regular. Upon this foundation the great meetings of the llague Conference will most rearlily be successful in building legislation and zuljndicature of world-with applicationi Let us ahandon theoretical construction. \‘\'e shall not have far to seek for positive interests, in all the many occupatiom of human life, which feel the inherent need of a slt‘HttQ‘ international organiza~ tion. Building up from the ground, we shall thus erect a struc‘ ture upon whose nnshaken support the general ideal of interna- tionalism may be reposed. The development we are considering will exercise a profound influence upon the attitude of mankind toward war. The warlike spirit presupposes a misunderstanding of the aims of other nations, How can we key up ourselves to the dread purpose of taking the life of fellow beings, unless our feelings are worked upon by the idea that they are anti-religious, despotic, immoral. cruelflin a word, enemies of civilization? lut will such designs be conceived by a merchant against those with whom he has met in an international body discussing the interests of commerce and industry? \Vill a physician desire to kill the sanitary oftical of another nation who is protecting: us from the inroads of epidemic and plague? "fill the man of science conceiy" a murderous desire to take the life of those who are searching for the truth in the laboratories of Germany or of France? \«Var becomes criminal, a perversion of humanity, in such cases. No higher ideal can be appealed to for the killing of those with whom we co-operate for the ideals of humanity. The older pacifism was purely negative in character. It looked upon war as an evil being: to be combated directly. Yet war is only the symptom of a general condition in which too great emphasis is still laid upon local interests. It is evident that the only effective manner to remove the conditions to which the occurrence of war is due lies in the building up of an international consciousnes. ; but such a consciousness cannot he arrived at out of nothing-there must be back of it a development of a real unity of interest and feeling. We must realize our interdepernlence in practical affairs. It is through the cr *ation of international organ- izations for all the interests of human life that a positive content of the feeling of a common humanity is being provided. The incentive to war will become weaker and weaker as the bonds of community between nations increase, such as are provided by communication agencies, by economic and industrial ties or by scientific co-operation. [low intolerably painful will be the ruthless interruption of all such relations and activities! There are only two alternatives. liither the ties which are thus beingr created will in time become so strong: that no nation will think of inter rnptine‘ them by war, or. should war continue. these relations will have to be exempted from its ttpet‘ttlions, Such an exemption would tend to confine the sufferings and dangers of war more and more. and would thus be in accord with the dictates of humanity. Universal co-operation is a future ideal. The world is full of conditions and activities in which nations are not selfrsuflicing fin which we instinctively look beyond the lV)lllltl(lTlt's of the national state. The nation that would be independent in isolation will condemn itself to be a Venezuela-will ent itself and its citis |
