FEDERATION OF THE WORLD

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 8, 10 January 1901, Page 4

FEDERATION OF THE WORLD

AND INTERNATIONAL DISARMAMENT.

THE EDITOR GISBORNE HUES. Sib, —A few-years ago the Czar of Russia made considerable stir in the world by issuing a manifesto for international disarmament. This manifesto led to a conference among the nations of the world with a view to discussing the practicability of this great idea, which meant, if carried into effect, universal peace among men. However, nothing of any great importance seems to have originated from this • conference. No great or very valuable ideas appear to have been given to the world by the delegates, and it must be clear to everyone who gives serious thought to the matter that as long as the world is divided into separate nations or powers, each jealous of the other and each desirous of making its own laws, and as far as practicable becoming more powerful than its neighbors, or at least to - preserve its independence and avoid being absorbed by stronger powers, international disarmament must continue to remain an unrealised dream. Never as long as humanity is divided into separate nations, will any one or all those nations agree to lay down their arms, but once the entire civilised world has federated into one humanity or nation, international disarmament will follow as a matter of course, and, seeing the desirability of abolishing war and establishing universal peace and goodwill among men upon earth, the federation of the world should be the high goal aimed at by every advanced reformer and well wisher of humanity, no matter what part of, the world it may be his lot to live in, until this idea has taken root in the minds of the people throughout the world. It may be maintained by many that the federation of the world will never be an accomplished fact. But in the early stages of almost every new idea the same sceptical opinions have been expressed. Had for example anyone pleaded for the federation of the States of .America previous to the war between the North and the South, such a one would no doubt have been considered a dreamer, and yet this, like many other ideas which when first mooted have appeared to be visionary and unpractical, has become an accomplished fact. It seems to me, therefore, being one who has had this idea in mind for a long time, that it is high time an association was formed with branches throughout the entire civilised world, the chief aim of which society being to educate the world up to the desirability and eventual practicability of the .federation of all the nations of the World iintoLone nation. - Already the States of America have federated,’ Australia has just become a federated State, and the leading minds throughout the English-speaking world are pleading for the federation of the English-speaking race. Mr Stead, of the Review of Reviews, has written a book on the Federated States of Europe. The 1 same idea could be extended to the Federated States of Asia, and then if the people of America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia were federated, we would then have the idea of the federation of the world into one nation. And what but ignorance and jealousy and prejudice is hindering the federation of .the world? Why should not an Englishman for example be allowed to rule in Russia, and a Russian or individual of any other nationality rule in England, a Chinaman in Africa, a Boer in Australia, and so forth, provided the ‘supposed individuals only show that they had a greater capacity to rule an a manner calculated to yield the greatest good to the greatest number,” than existing rulers. And onoe the laws of nations were so framed that an individual, no matter what part of the world it had been his fortune or misfortune to be born in, could attain to the highest positions in any other part of the world, provided he exhibited the desired ability to fill those positions proficiently, the federation of the world would then be practically an accomplished fact. Nothing but prejudice and ignorance prevents this change being brought about. And it is a subject well worthy of the earnest consideration of all nations.—l am, etc., C. P. W. Lonodill.