WORLD-ORGANIZATION AFTER THE WORLD-WAR 72 
the fact that the former are a part of the world domai, are in effect 
an extension of the high seas, while the latter are integral parts of 
the several national domains. This is a vital matter when the col- 
lecting of customs is considered. The bordering lines of the world- 
ways on land would be precisely like the borders of the sea, so far as 
customs regulations are concerned. Under the omninational scheme 
the several nations retain the same rights and privileges respecting 
tariffs and like fiscal systems that they now enjoy, and so the border 
lines of the land lanes alongside nations that impose tariffs would 
need to be supplied with custom-houses such as are maintained on 
sea borders. The normal effect would be to limit the number of 
stations on the omninational railways to those whose international 
traffic would support custom-houses. This would tend to throw the 
subdistribution of imported goods on the infranational lines. It is 
a fair presumption, however, that the increase of imports due to 
the facilities offered by the world-ways would more than compen- 
sate for the expense of maintenance of frequent custom-houses and 
that the system would be a source of tariff revenue, where tariffs 
are maintained, in addition to its other benefits. The bonding 
system would of course be applicable here as in the present 
system. 
The terminal ports of the world-way system.—The terminal ports 
would obviously tend to become cosmopolitan; due recognition of 
this in practical provisions would be required. These provisions 
might go so far as to make these terminal ports free cities, with 
governments and fiscal systems of their own under the protection 
of the Confederation, or they might take the form of concessions 
similar to those in vogue in China, but probably in most cases less 
specific regulations would amply accommodate the requirements of 
the various peoples that assembled at the terminal ports in the 
natural course of business. The whole tendency of the scheme 
would be toward general cosmopolitanism, involving the removal 
of those provincialisms that make it difficult for diverse peoples to 
live peacefully together. Ultimately the need of any special pro- 
vision for any particular people would disappear. 
Some of the leading features of the omninational thoroughfares 
proposed in the disturbed area.—The general principle of world-ways 
