702 T. C. CHAMBERLIN 
of the efforts to keep the peace, and these wars led up to the recent 
gigantic conflict. So this equilibrium scheme for the preservation 
of peace must take its place among the list of futile efforts. The 
way in which the balance was disturbed reveals the point of danger 
in all such schemes. Almost at the opening of the war the Triple 
Alliance fell apart and was soon replaced by the “‘four-in-a-row”’ 
combination so significantly strung on the Berlin-Bagdad line, 
while the Entente group became a center of accessions and gradu- 
ally grew into the “associated nations” that have just triumphed 
in the military stage of the struggle. As the inevitable result of 
such radical shifts of alliance, confidence in the reliability of alli- 
ances as a guaranty of peace is greatly weakened. The thoughtful 
world is therefore casting about to find some other form of organi- 
zation that gives promise of controlling world-affairs more suc- 
cessfully. | 
The proposed League of Nations.—In lieu of a balance between 
alliances, a single league of nations, so strong and so inclusive as to 
dominate the world, is the favorite scheme of the hour. ‘The factors 
that are to unite to form this proposed league are still, as before, 
. the several nations, and these nations are to carry into the compact, 
as before, all their diversities of nature and interest. These diver- — 
sities give reason to question the endurance of the new league when 
new lines of stress shall arise. All past leagues have given way in 
time; why should not this? But what other course is possible ? 
What but the nations as they happen to be can enter into compact 
to preserve the peace? Can the diversities be set aside and the 
nations unite on a common homogeneous basis? ‘This is the soul 
of the proposal here submitted. 
The elements of a homogeneous basis.—It seems altogether prac- 
ticable to divide the interests of the nations into two quite different 
classes, the first to embrace inherent rights shared alike by all, such 
as appropriate conditions of self-determination, of self-development, 
of intercourse with the rest of the world; the second class to embrace 
such more special interests as spring from the individual natures, 
inheritances, or peculiar preferences of each nation, those for 
example that grow out of the affinities of race, language, religion, 
modes of life, social ideals, and trade preferences. The first class 
