Evening star., 1917-01-14
THE OLD EUROPE AND The NBW

The Europe after the war will have
changed radically from that at the con-
gress OF Westphalia and of
A Great Vienna. There ii was a sys-
TEN founded on treaties
e' based upon interests and
equilibrium. Old Europe existed down to
1S4s, when. recognizing the hopes II the
French revolution. IL sought the formula
Of evolution In the principle Of nationali-
ties. Nationality supposes peoples united
by q certain number of common aspira-
tions resulting either from a parenty Of
origin or from a geographical abode. eth
er from a community Of language. Gus
toms, education. religion. etc The prin-
ciple Of nationality was invoked. for
| example. in the partition OF Poland. in
| the conquest OF northern Italy by Austria
Condorect. who believed humanity sus-
ceptible of unlimited progress. declared
| that "the French revolution was the
| initial point OF the doctrine OF national
tiles. and that every nation had the power
to make its own laws"
The French revolution never confounded
populations with peoples: II never at
tempted the adjustment of the nation
| OF the organized state. Its principles
| were never anarchic. but. on the con-
| trary. II recognized the necessity OF Or
ganization and force. The doctrine OF
Inationalities seized the public Imagination
! forcibly when Count Las Cases. who ac-
companied Napoleon in exile. published
| the celebrated Memorial at Saint
Helena" in which there appears the fol-
lowing: 'One OF my greatest thoughts had
| ha nj "a
ton Of the same geographical peoples
which have been separated. cut up by
revolutions and politics. I had wished
| to make of each of these peoples a sep
arate nation. The sovereign power. which
| in the midst OF great conflict viii em-
brace in good faith the cause OF peoples.
| will find itself at the head of all Europe
and accomplish whatever II might wish.
In such cortege u would be grand
to advance to posterity in the van of
the benedictfon of centuries. After that
summary simplification il would be no
longer chimerical to hope for the unity
OF codes. principles. opinions. views and
interests. Then perhaps by favor of
| light universally diffused the adoption
of the American congress or the regime
| of the amphictyons of Greece. and then
what grandiose spectacle of force,
prosperity and GRANDEUR"
Such were the dreams of the great
conqueror at st. Helena.
The doctrine of nationaIities as con-
ceived by the generation of 1s4s had
for corollaries the
The Doctrine of interior liberties and
r.4,.. the a m D h C yonic
NauonaAtles. unity of Europe. A
writer who refers to the first tripartite
! instruction of Quinet. Michelet and
falri too Col xr
says: "All three taught sort of
promatheism almost Christian. and il
| is just that equitable history should
! interpret that instruction of thauma-
| turgians and of ancient precursors.
| These extraordinary professors caught
glimpses of future Europe as a great
family united by the upward fight of
liberty and sentiment. Venerable fami-
| lies taking up in new golden age the
dream of the millennium. They invoked
with ardent faith that society of peo-
! Piles such as Sully and Henry " had
promised, such as Fenelon and Rous-
seau had announced in consoling
phrases. and such in brief as Napoleon
| had condensed in one of his authorita-
| tive formulas. Nor should it be forgot
ten here to recall that Kant, celebra ed
German philosopher, wrote in 1875 his
! Treatise on Perpetual Peace" in which
the author supposes the erection of a
city OF nations destined to contain all
the peoples of the earth.
Nevertheless. the revolution of 1S4S
did not push the above doctrines to
their realization. There were grave re-
sponsibilities which would have to be
incurred: to open a crusade of nation
alities was to provoke universal war.
Lamartine barred the route to such
perilous adventures. The provisional
government" he said. would not per-
nit him to change his policy for for
nation. however
might be to our hearts. We love Italy:
we love Poland, we love all oppressed
peoples, but We love above all France,
and we have the responsibility of her
destiny and perhaps that of Europe In
this moment Do not attempt to make
US deviate even by fraternai sentiment
which we bear. There is something
which maintains and lights up our pas
sion even for Poland: IL is our reason"
In opposing reason to sentiment Lam
artine commenced to unravel the con-
fusion which vague words indefinitely
spoken by himself even had created in
the public mind.
In the manifesto to the powers on
March 4. 1S4S, replying to the speeches
of NJ. NJ Mauguin and Napoleon Bona
psrte. Lamartine traced the exterior
pol1cy OF the provisional government
as follows:
THE treaties of 1915 exist no longer
of right in the eyes of the French re-
public; nevertheless the
Treaties as territorial circumscrip-
p tions of these treaties are
facts which the republic
admits as a basis and point of de-
parture in its relations to other ma
tions." And he added: IF national
tiles are created and organized and
they appealed for his support France
might deem ii right to support them
He did not conceal his distrust of Prus-
sia, and warned the partisans of the
principle of nationalities against that
delusion established by Quinet.. and in
this respect others partook OF his
distrust"
The wise dispositions inspired by the
realities of the situation placed the
poet statesman in complete accord with !
the views of the chiefs of the revolu- |
ton. The just measure cannot be in |
dicated with more precision than in l