Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-03
CoNQUERING PEACE.


Originally the United states was O
federation OF sovereign states These
states were brought together by a
common oppression and a common
danger Together they waged war
and achieved common independ-
once. Those incidental differences
Of interest among them were sup
pressed because they were surpassed
boy the oommonness Of interest For
protection and for profit the suites
united and wrote constitution to de-
fine their federation.
But the union was more than a
paper declaration The paper dec
laratlon expressed merely what was
realized In fact That Is TO say that
the union was not born Of a philoso-
piers pact, but out Of the interests
VI all OF the participants.
Political philosophers, publcsts
statesmen. jurists. social thcorizors.
took hold upon the constitution TO
fprct 1t. to construe. TO apply II to
'achinery Of a nation. But de-
mas Jefferson, John Mar
Webster, and host Of
ner declaration proved
consolidate into a ma
,fowing division OF iu-
soon as interests divided.
"XA divided. No constitution
, .4 <nted northerners at one time
-. southern slave.owners later from
denouncing the union.
Then Followed the great attempt to
disrupt the union Force OF arms cs-
tahlishod the union and made the
constitution paramount By tho tri-
umph Of northern interest over south
ofn interest Tho southern interest
which preopitated tho war was nor
only conquered but also wiped out.
To-day we have United States
something more than federation Of
sovereign states however indissolu-
bic. We have a sovereign national
government at Washington, which
constantly reduces the sovereignty Of
the states. until today state rights"
10 a dcfunct theory and not living
faa.
The United states We have Is based
upon an intogcr Within our CONT
mental area people live who are
pretty much homogeneous in every
thing save racial origin. And diver
sity Of racial origin Is discounted by
similarity OF interest first, by similar
ily Of thought. mode of living by
common LOYALTY, ana the habit Of ma
tional consciousness
This review has been made to
bring out the point that our union
Is historical and not documentary
that our nation has been welded br
blood and iron. and not by phloso-
ply that we are one today prlncl
patty because our interests are com
mon
These hopeful theorists and eager
ahsiractionista who. upon the model
OF the United states OF America,
would formulate United stuies 1T
Chrstcndom. OF oven Of the World. |
have not read our own history Alright
Common consent won by the per-
suasion Of philosophers or inspired |
by the nobility OF the ideal. might
Indeed write constitution OF the
United states OF the World, but e
never could reconcile the lrreeonch.
able. selfish and essential interests II
the confederatcd units Those hos
tile interests sooner or later would
make scrap Of paper" OF the con
sttution.
The only peace this world ever has
known IL the peace Of conqucst--thas
OF Rome that Of Great Britain that
Of the United states. an within their
borders a paper peace, "A gentle
mems agreement" among the nations
only awaits the first consideration Of |
important self-nteresl to be betraye Ell. |
to be broken.