New-York tribune., 1920-09-14
The American PytncipZe

Alexander Hamilton, in one article
stated and proved that 'the great and
radical vice in the construction Of the
confederation is in the principle of leg
lslation for states or governments in
their corporate or collective capacities
as distinguished from the individuals of
which they exist"
In another issue he wrote:
Whoever considers the opulcnce and
strength OF several Of these states
single at the present juncture, and looks
| FORWARD to what they will become even
at tho distance Of half a century. will at
once dismiss as idle and visionary anv
scheme which aims at regulating their
movements by laws to operate upon them
IN their collective capacities. and to be
executed by coercion applicable TO them
IN the same capacities.
Even ln tnosc confcderacies which have
oo"n composed OF members smaller than
many OF our counties. the principle of
| legislation for sovereign states supported
| by military coercion, has never been found
| eHcctual 1T has rarely been attempted to
| De employed but against the weaker mem
oerS' ana IN most instances attempts TO
coerce the refractory and disobedient have
oeen tho signals of bloody wars. In which
ono half Of the confederacy has displayed
Its banners against the other half
IN brief, the old reactionary principle
IS that Of the coercion by collection Of
states of any disobedient state, while
the progressive American principle is
that of coercion not of states but of
individuals. The one disregards the ira.
dltions, laws and experience of history.
ana that of our own great and success
1ul country in particular; the other
would take such steps forward as will
not prevent in the future a federation
OF the peoples Of the entire world.
1t ls obvious that coercion of states
by other states, in the light Of our own
national experience and that Of the pre-
vious attempts Of hist6ry, proves that
such coercion results only in failure.
Powerful states in such unions have
used coercion against the weak states.
but the protection Of the weak has not
been insured because Of the indifference
OF the strong. The recent Polish incl
dent is an illustration Of this fact,
Economic Pressure
The application of economic pressure
would also be unjust and Ineffective
Russia has been under economic press
ure for several years, yet, being eco
nomically Independent her military
power, though impaired, is still Of suf.
flcient strength to threaten the safety
of Europe, and it required herculean ef-
forts on the part Of heroic Poland To
defend herself. Attempted economic
coercion exerted against the British EN-
plre would be futile, as it is economical.
ly independent. Such coercion against
the United States would only serve to
strengthen our conviction in the cause
which we were sustaining. Dependence
Upon economic pressure against eco.
nomically independent states is OBJ
viously ineffective and would inf1ict
punishment upon the innocent states as
we'll as offending states. Economic
pressure upon small states, ON the other
hand, would place in the hands Of strong
states a weapon Of autocrstic coercion
which would surely work contrary to
the principles Of justice.
There remains tho principle Of secur-
ing world peace by q government Of
laws instead Of q world government by