The Caucasian., 1909-08-31
POLITICAL. UNION
OF WHOLE WORLD,
Project to Be Discussed at a
Conference In Stockholm.
FEDERATION NOT INTENDED.
For First Time Delegates From All
Nations Will Talk on the Question
at international Peace Congress.
Germ of the Idea In Other Bodies.

Political organization of the world
as a pertinent and practical topic for
present times will be the principal sub
iect of discussion at the meeting OF
the International peace congress at
Stockholm, Aug. 20 TO Sept. 3. Ihis
determination was reached at ses-
sion of the Berne bureau In Boston,
the official body having in charge the
for the congress. The
vote of the bureau was upon this point:
Further. it is concluded that at fu'
ture congresses only one great ques-
ton shall be placed in the foreground
For this year ii is the question OF In
ternational organization"
Edwin d. Mead, one of the four
American members of the Berne bu-
reau-the others are Samuel I. Dut-
ton of New York, DR.. Benjamin Z.
Trueblood of Boston. secretary OF the
American Peace society. and Mrs.
Belva A. Lockwood that the pre-
else meaning Of international organ
ization' is political organization of the
world as a single body. just the same
as the subject of resolutions adopted
in 1903 by the Massachusetts, iegisla-
ture. This idea has been also in the
minds of some, ut least, of the Mo-
houk delegates who have repeatedly
In the Mohonk platform indorsed the
proposition of an International legis-
lative body and have even indicated
The Hague conferences as the germ out
of which the true world legislature
would probably be developed. AT the
meeting of the Berne bureau at which
the above vote was adopted were
some twenty members. including Eng
lishmen, Frenchmen and Germans.
One of them was Senator La Fontaine
of Belgium, leader I'm the movement
for universal peace.
First Discussion of Question.
This will be the first time that a
body of representatives of many ma
tions, even though unofficial, has ever
discussed such subject. Some writ
ers have seen a resemblance between
this discussion and that at the great
peace congresses of 1S4S. 1849 and 1850
at Brussels. Paris and Frankfort re-
spectively, where Elihu Burritt urged
his plan for congress of nations and
establishment of high court OF jus
tice. Mr. -Burritt even used the ex-
preston IAN international legislature
| but his plan was as Mr.. Mead said In
the Old South Leaflet. No. 146, contain
| ing Burritt's addresses at these places,
finally realized at The Hague.
What Burritt and his fellow workers
had in mind was single gathering OF
delegates. like that of The Hague in
1899, to formulate code of interna-
tional law or method of procedure for
all nations by the authority Of all ne
tons for settlement of differences be-
tween them. This was realized at The
Hague by the holding of the confer
ence and establishment of The Hague
court of arbitration. Mr.. Burritt was
explicit in saying that bis plan did not
propose any such organization as ex-
lists In the union of states in the Unit
ed States. Burritt's effort was to Sc
cure the peace of the world.
4
No Idea of a World Federation.
The Stockholm discussion, therefore
must be regarded as the first formal
public discussion in large way OF
political unity of all nations as Il single
organism. But this discussion has
nothing OF world federation idea In
it. Rather there is believed to be in
progress a natural. inevitable develop
ment Of the unity of the human race
(existing in the very fact of the races
being upon the earthl into formal
political union. There are already
plenty of instances to illustrate world
legislation. more or less partial and
incomplete. but still an expression OF
the will of nations. The conventions
of the universal postal union and bott
of the peace conferences at The Hague
are conspicuous Illustrations.
Still further the second conference
Mt The Hague. in 1907. proposed tht
germ OF the world judicial department
/: In the convention for an internationa
prize court The recent internationa
naval conference in London. beginning
last December. in which ten nations
took part. including the United States
proposed the formation Of practica
i code. There is good authority for tax
ing this view Of the probable develop
ment from this creation of the second
Hague conference.
Il Germ In Executive Departments.
AS to the executive department o
the world. 1t is already revealed h
several minor executive offices con
nected with international bureaus
The permanent Office of the universe
postal union has constant executiv,
STAFF There Is one connected with tn
international body near Paris. having
i to do with weights and measures. ant
one connected with the permanen
i court of arbitration and the Tnterna
tional Institute of Agriculture a
Rome. These are all true executiv
offices, however humble their grade
hence. taking The Hague eonferenc
as the germ of Il world Legislature
xvhfr4aa can ho faafsa sollt very falat1si