FACTORS OF COHESION
Sts,—The article of Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr which you published in your issue of June 18th, is so full of substance that one is the mare temp'ed to query the points where one disagrees.
Firstly: He seems to equate American-Idealist, English-Realist. But we have all heard of Lord Cecil, Professor Murray, Lord Davies, Arthur Henderson, and of the series Mellon-Frick-Harvey-Harding-Hurst-McCor-
mick . (I will spare your space). • Secondly: " The pure idealists have shown themselves singularly in- capable of dealing with the ambiguous stuff of politics in the last decade." Have they? I claim for the trend Politis-Benesh-Cecil-de Brouckere a far shrewder political acumen than the Laval-Mellon—the Chamberlains, &c., so-called " realist " trend ever possessed.
Thirdly: The British Empire model is, in my opinion, a most mislead- ing example for the World Commonwealth to follow, for it is composed of four gtoups: (a) The United Kingdom.
(b) The Dominions of British stock.
(c) The Dominions of non-British stock (Ireland and India).
(d) The subject races.
Now only (a) and (b) can be—and are generally—considered in such usual phrases about the World Community evolving as the British Empire. (c) and (d) are just forgotten. But even (a) and (b) are by no means a good model. In fact, they incarnate two features directly contrary to the two features which obtain in the required evolution of the World Community: one single stock and a trend to more and more slackened.. constitutional ties. While the World Community is of necessity made up of all the human palette and its most pressing need is to evolve closer constitutional patterns. (They could hardly be less close.) Fourthly: Finally, despite his professed belief in unity, Dr. Niebuhr still puts the- stress on political instruments. In my opinion, what is wanted is an assertion of faith. Let the two Anglo-Saxon powers commit themselves solemnly to pork exclusively in a spirit of unity and in the
interests of the World Community ; and the political instruments will be forthcoming in due time.
I agree with Dr. Niebui'r that the World Community must grow. But nothing grows that is not sown.—Yours s.ncerely,
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