One Distinguishing Feature of the Modern Idea.

THIS is one thing that distinguishes the present idea from the idea of those in the 18th and earlier centuries whose vision did not go beyond that of Kaunitz, the Austrian Minister, who spoke of Europe “as a single family of nations,” the idea that found expression, first, in the Holy Alliance and then in the famous European Concert, which lasted for eight years. The idea of President Wilson is that the whole world is a family of nations, and to ensure peace it is not enough only to form a confederation of several States of Europe, especially the great ones, but that all nations should be incorporated into the League. So long as there were large tracts of country and large populations in other continents which were conceived for the purpose of Europe as objects of exploitation, it is obvious that there could be no peace in Europe itself, for the simple reason that the economic and other causes, that had in the past led to European wars, would remain.