NOTES 669 



because all nations have agreed that defence is an essential element of their 

 welfare, any nation that attacked another would have to meet the combined forces 

 of the world solely on the ground that the aggressive nation had attacked, and 

 quite apart from her motive in doing so. Then, when the army of the recalcitrant 

 nation had been driven back within its own borders, a complete blockade would be 

 put into operation, only to be raised when a suitable indemnity had been paid. 

 Nations, of course, would still have disputes, which they could bring before the 

 Council for a decision ; but, if the decision is not accepted, it would not be 

 enforced by the Council. But Mr. Maclagan prophesies that the nations would 

 gradually come to look on this Council as the highest and best authority, and to 

 abide by its decrees ; and, in any case, no matter what quarrelling might ensue, 

 and no matter how long it would take for the world to find a satisfactory means of 

 settling its differences, surely anything is better than the insensate slaughter 

 of millions of human lives. This method would do away with the fetish of the 

 Balance of Power, which has always been the chief factor in the precipitation of 

 war, and also abolish the necessity of neutrality which this present conflict is 

 proving to be untenable. 



The next question raised is ot what elements shall the Council be composed, 

 which is simply answered by the proposal that each nation is to be represented on 

 the basis of her exports and imports. As nation only comes into contact with 

 nation by means of commerce, the measure of the exports and imports would be 

 the measure of her interest with the outside world, and the measure of her title 

 to representation on an International Council. The larger the exports and 

 imports the greater the number of representatives — an elastic representation 

 which would expand or shrink automatically with the increasing or decreasing 

 prosperity and importance of any one country. 



According to the lecturer this scheme not only solves the problem of war in 

 Europe and America but solves also the problem of the Yellow Peril, which, if 

 unchecked, will assume greater proportions in the near future than it has done 

 in the past, owing to the fact that the East is arming itself on the European plan — 

 the very plan that has produced the European disaster. Once get the Eastern 

 nations to recognise that this International Council defends them as well as 

 Europe, and they would also subscribe to its enactments. 



One possible objection might be put forward — the objection that by this mode 

 of procedure the present map of the world is thereby stereotyped, and that frontier 

 expansion would become impossible. But if war becomes a thing of the past 

 Mr. Maclagan doubts that frontier expansion would be considered a necessity. 

 And if it be temporarily considered a necessity, human intellect is not so barren 

 that it cannot eventually hammer out a plan whereby each race shall satisfactorily 

 amalgamate and be autonomous. 



The British Constitution Association 



Prof. W. M. Flinders Petrie, F.R.S., President of this Association, was in the 

 chair on February 22 at one of its meetings held at the Council Chamber, Denison 

 House, Westminster, when Mr. Harold Cox and Mr. C. J. Stewart gave addresses 

 on " The Effect of War on Public and Private Extravagance," followed by a 

 general discussion. Although Prof. Petrie, in his opening remarks, put in a plea 

 for a simpler standard of living which was vital to the country, he yet showed the 

 false economy of being niggardly with education in general and science in 

 particular. In his opinion, if we derived our recreation from the cultivation of the 



