The End of the War

AFTER the Peace Conference there will remain a sense of frustration. However intelligent or well- intentioned the delegates, they cannot, from the nature of the case, find solutions for all the intricate economic, nationalistic and territorial problems which led to this war. The most that can be accomplished will be the creation of a machinery of international government. How that machinery will work will depend upon the spirit governing the nations after the war.

The problem of attaining internationalism is not one of form but of substance and intent. Even should we secure general promises of disarmament, mediation, arbitration, and of a freedom of the seas in war, even should we begin to construct a league to enforce peace, the machinery would break down unless upheld by the pacific intentions of the nations. If several members of the League believed that their interests were being sacrificed, they would openly or covertly seek to ruin the international machinery. It is easy to destroy, to take advantage of technical points, to promise and not fulfil, to be unfair and allege unfairness in others. For any fundamental

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