The League of Nations

The International Idea

THE MISTAKE ABOUT THE LEAGUE.

trikalz are still people, it appears, who confuse the idea of the Society of Nations (how much more appropriate the French term is !), now substantiated in a living organism, with the ideal of universal brotherhood. Not long ago we received a letter which ran as follows : " You know, I never have denied that in theory the League of Nations is a splendid idea, but I can't feel that we are ready for such a sublime state yet. Of course, war is appalling, especially modern warfare, but . . . some things can only 'be washed out by blood—and anyway what would you do with the surplus millions ?

This point of view, which is by no means uncommon, reveals a complete misunderstanding of fairly obvious facts. It should be clear to everybody that the relationship of the constituent nations to the League is simply that of individuals in society. Does anyone seriously suggest that the social order- in which we live and have our being is a " sublime state," achieved at a certain point in time as the crown of hufrian effort ? Yet that is what the above view would imply.Surely—whether we accept ROusseau's hypothesis Of a social cOntract or notall are agreed that social organiza- tion grew up, not from a sense of brOtherly love, but as an imperative necessity, as the Only possible means of preserving and safeguarding the personality of the individual. So the League exists to-day, not as a monument to human wisdom, but as an institution that meets a social need, i.e.," the co-ordination of the highly explosive national units. The best brains and the best energies of all countries are being bent to the task of abolishing the institution of war, not simply because it is wicked and depraved, but because, given the destructive power of modern science, there is no other way of preserving civilization itself. As for the Peace Pact being " sublime and transcendental," as Signor Mussolini seems to think, it is no more so than the principle of live and let live, which we all, miserable sinners that we are, practise in our daily life. Actually what Voltaire said of God, "sit n'existait pas it faudrait rinventer," applies equally to the League of Nations to-day. Whether we like it or not, there is no getting away from the fact that public affairs; the res publica of our fathers, are no longer contained within the nation-state. We are now members of an international body politic, " citizens of the world," and the establishment of the League as an outward and visible sign of the new order is really a belated political recognition of a fact that has long 'been evident in the economic sphere.

THE. FUNDAMENTAL, PROBLEM.

The present League, howeve.F, is only the beginning of wisdom, it is but an imperfect sketch of the organized world society. What of the life-giving spirit, the inward spiritual grace ? _ We are all too prone to blame the statesmen for the slow progress towards peace on earth . and to forget that Governments are limited by the public opinion and Parliaments to which they are responsible. Surely—in spite. Of the considerable will to peace that was demonstrated in this country and America last year—the fault lies in ourselves that we are still the underlings of Mara. Here, then, is the fundamental problem—to jerk men's minds out of the old political grooves, to educate the many in a con- sciousness of the wider res publica which is our lot.

International intellectual co-operation, possibly on account of its hideous name, is at present the last of the League activities which the ordinary man is disposed to take seriously. If "stiggeSts indeed round-table conferences at which learned academicians from all over the world—with a galaxy of interpreters—are engaged on the Sisyphean task of compiling hi4tory books without, bias. Mr. Baldwin for One would be deeply shocked if any such deadening process were being attempted for the sake of peace, and most of us would feel very much the same about it But, as Professor Zimmerli his explained, intellectual co-operation in practice means no more and no lesi than what it- says ; if is an attempt e6 remedy the state of anarchy into Which' the public of the, scholar have fallen as a result of independent national deieldpnent. How does all this help the ordinary man, you may ask ? The answer is found in a short essay; " Learning and Leader- ship " (Oxford University Press), which Professor Zimmerri published last year, and which will surely rank as one of the , most brilliant pieces of constructive thinking of modern times. No one Who sees the international situation steadily and sees it whole will deny the urgency of educating the next generation to a sense of its responsibilities. Too long,

has educational progress been sought in the direction of professional competence, in the development of the specialist. That was, indeed, the natural "outcome. of our scientific age. The problem now, however, is no longer one of invention or discovery, it is—to use Professor Zimmern'S

words,—a question of "adjusting the available resources of good will, expert knowledge, and intellectual and moral leadership to the needs of the post:War world and setting theni to work together according to the rhythm of the age."

THE EDUCATION OF THE ORDINARY CITIZEN.

For acquiring an international outlook, as always in education, the first are the all-important years, when every one of us is integrated with his or her community and nation.

For nothing is further from the truth than that a deracini is ipso facto internationally-minded. One may echo Aristotle, ", a man without a city is either a god or a beast," or as Professor Zimmern, the modern, puts it, " no one can render true service in the cause of international co-operation if he has not first thoroughly absorbed in his own mind and soul the meaning of nationality."

At the primary school, the teacher is not so much expected to give systematic instruction but—something far more important—to inculcate an attitude of mind. The case for an ever-increasing interchange of teachers with other countries at this stage is unanswerable, for only thus will the child's mind be opened to the wider world, and the prejudice against what is foreign eradicated.

In the secondary school again, where development of personality is the main function, the choice of text books and the development of school libraries are comparatively unimportant beside the need for teachers who have themselves imbibed the spirit of international understanding. For such subjects as history and geography and foreign languages a knowledge of other standards and an appreciation of the other man's point of view are obviously essential, and these can only be obtained by travel and contact at first hand

with other forms of social life. International interchange Of teachers, whether from secondary schools or the University, ie

already a regular feature in our educational life, but only if this is actively promoted under the auspices of the Institute in Paris will the next generation be equal to its tremendous responsiA bilities. To-day how many of our difficulties arise from the fact that the intellectuals are still living in the world of 19141 The final stage of the ordinary citizen's education—for with the study of international relations, law, economics, sociology, &c., which are for the specialist, we are not concerned —will be found in what may be called a school of international contacts. Such a school exists already in Geneva, where every summer a certain number of University students in the later stages of their academic course are brought together from many countries and are associated with a distinguished and equally international group of University teachers. The programme is bilingual throughout, French and English, and the school is organized for a short period only in the summer months. It is a great experience. Many of us perhaps are too old to profit by it ; but, after all, the fate of civilization rests not with us but with the next generation. Let us not forget Sir Eric Drufnmond's warning in his article in the Centenary number. It is too true that "the man in the street ii not yet fully awakened to the vast importance of international quefitions as affecting country, his family,

and hiniself.". We can begin our education now by listehing-th to Prof. Philip Baker, of the London School of Etionoriales,'Wfiii his been asked by tie B.B.C. to supplement the'iveeklY talks on the work!, to=day;' given by Mr. Vernon ESitlett ini'rnanction to the study of international' relations.