The guardian., 1942-02-21
February IA, 1912.

Vic oGdOuo VI 0IlGlSAl NOIll-
monwealth."
First let me make it clear
that the name Federal Union
represents the organization
which came into being at the
publication in 1889 of Clarence
Streit'S book, Union Now" and
that the term Union Now as
applied to an organization or
to a movement is technically a
misnomer, though 1t is cur
rently popular.
The aims Of Federal Union
are to drive home to U. S. cit
liens the impoSsibility of main
tanning an isolationist course
in this world of the longrange
bomber and overwhelming
horizons, and the necessity of
joining in a permanent union
with all free people for the
preservation of our lives and
our freedom.
More specifically, Federal
Union proposes not leagues and
alliances but union based on
the federal principle and on
the guarantee of civil liberties.
This means the creation
through democratic machinery
of a union government which
would be supreme in matters
defense, foreign poll
cy and trade, but which should
leave all other matters in the
control of member states. This
system, we believe, offers the
best hope for the en-
forcement Of law, the main
tenance of defensive strength
and the preservation Of human
rights. 1t is the American sys
tenn, and its voluntary adop
lion by other freedom-loving
people and ourselves will make
in the future the
piecemeal type of conquest
which the Axis has thus far so
successfully employed.
In respect to membership in
this union, our organization
declares for a union of self
governing peoples, forever open
to all who accept the principles
Of freedom" 1t is true at the
moment that the Anglo-Saxon
nations constitute the bulk of
self governing
people. But with the ebbing
Of the Axis flood, the love for
freedom and Self-government
shall be powerfully asserted in
all parts of the world, and the
enunciation of Federal Union
principles by the U. S. now
should give hope and courage
to people of Axis-dominated
nations to work for their day
Of liberation and security.
The fears that Mr.. Murray
voices are identical with those
raised by opponents to our own
Constitution, who were sure
that the creation of national
would mean the
swallowing up of small states
by large ones and the end of all
local privilege. There is little
reason why his fears should be
any more justified than were
theirs, and Furthermore our
greater population is a positive
guarantee that in a union OF
peoples (as opposed to govern
ments) we shall be in a strong
position in relation to Great
Britain and her dominionS. II
such a union means our rever-
sion to the status of a British
dominion (Which actually we
never were), it means equally
the rebirth of the British EN-
pire as satellites of Washington
Obviously neither can be true.
In closing, may I state thai
Congressman Mccormack thru
his speech in Boston on Dec
S1st and in a personal letter to
me has stated his own convic-
ton that this nation must join
a postwar, law-enforcing body
of nations. Only to this extent
does he commit himself to
Federal Union principles; I ask
no more of him. We believe
that he is rendering the nation
a great service by his state
and we hopo that in our
efforts as an organization we
are rendering an equal service
We may differ in the extent to
which we plan for the achieve
ment of our common goal, but
we are united in our insisteuce
that isolationism be stamped
out in this country forever.
(Signed) John w. Putnam,