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self…determination runs counter to the rule of Live and let live。
After the same fashion the businesslike manoeuvres of the vested
interests within the nations； each managing its own affairs with
an eye single to its own advantage； deranges the ordinary
conditions of life for the common man； and violates the rule of
Live and let live by that much。 Self…determination； full and
free； necessarily encroaches on the conditions of life for all
the others。
So； just now there is talk of disallowing or abridging the
inalienable right of free nations by so much as is imperatively
demanded for reasonably secure conditions of life among these
civilised peoples； and especially so far as is required for the
orderly pursuit of profitable business by the many vested
interests domiciled in these civilised countries。 The project has
much in common with the measures which have been entertained for
the restraint of any insufferably extortionate vested interests
within the national frontiers。
In both cases alike； both in the proposed regulation of
businesslike excesses at home and in the proposed league of
pacific nations； the projected measures of sobriety and tolerance
appear to be an infraction of that inalienable right of
self…direction that makes up the substantial core of law and
custom according to the modern point of view。 There is much alarm
felt by the demagogues at the danger which is said to threaten
the national 〃sovereignty〃； just as the vested interests are
volubly apprehensive of the 〃sacred rights of property。〃 And in
both cases alike the projected measure of sobriety； tolerance and
incidental infraction are designed to go no farther than is
unequivocally demanded by the imperative needs of continued life
on earth； leaving the benefit of the doubt always on the side of
the insufferable vested interests or the mischievous national
ambitions； as the case may be； and leaving the impression that it
all is a concessive surrender of principles under compulsion of
circumstances that will not wait。 There is also in both cases
alike a well…assured likelihood that the tentative revision of
vested interests and of national pretensions is to be no more
than an incompetent remedial precaution； a makeshift shelter from
the wrath to come。
It is evident that in both cases alike we have to do with an
incursion of ideas and considerations that are alien to the
established liberal principles of human intercourse； but it is
also evident that these ideas and considerations have the
sanction of that new order of things that runs in terms of
tangible performance and enforces its requisitions with cruel and
unusual punishments。 It is these punishments that are to be
evaded or suspended； and immunity is sought by diplomatic
measures of formality and delay rather than by tangible
performance。 In such a case the keepers of the established order
will always look to evasion and entertain a hope of avoiding
casualties and holding the line by the use of a cleverly designed
masquerade。
It is the express purpose of the projected league of pacific
nations to keep the sovereign rights of national
self…determination intact for all comers； it is to be a league of
nations； not a league of peoples。 But it should be sufficiently
obvious； whether it is avowed or not； that these sovereign rights
can be maintained by these means only in a mutilated form。 Within
the framework of any such league or common understanding the
nations； each and several； can continue to exercise these rights
only on the basis of a mutual agreement to give up so much of
their national pretensions as are patently incompatible with the
common good。 It involves a concessive surrender of the sovereign
right of self…aggrandisement； and perhaps also an extension of
the rule of Live and let live to cover minor nationalities within
the national frontiers； a mutual agreement to play fair under the
new rules that are to govern the conduct of national enterprise。
Any injunction to play fair is an infraction of national
sovereignty。 Hitherto no liberal statesman has been so audacious
as to 〃imagine the king's death〃 and lay profane hands on the
divine right of nations to seek their own advantage at the cost
of the rest by such means as the rule of reason shall decide to
be permissible。 It is only that licence is to be hedged about；
and all insufferable superfluity of naughtiness is provisionally
to be disallowed。 There is this evident resemblance and kinship
between the vested interests of business and the sovereign rights
of nations； but it does not amount to identity。
There is always something more to the national sovereignty
and the national pretensions； although these precautionary
measures that are now under advisement as touches the legitimate
bounds of both do run on singularly similar lines and are of a
similarly tentative and equivocal nature。 In the prudent measures
by which statesmen have set themselves to curb the excesses of
the greater vested interests within the nation their aim has
quite consistently been to guard the free income of the lesser
vested interests against the unseasonable rapacity of the greater
ones； all the while that the underlying community has come into
the case only as a fair field of business enterprise at large；
within which there is to be maintained a reasonable degree of
equal opportunity among these interests； big and little； in whom；
one with another； vests the effectual usufruct of the underlying
community。
It may be necessary to remark； by way of parenthesis； that
while this description of these corrective measures may seem to
hint at a fault； that is by no means its purpose。 The fault may
be there； of course； but if so it has no bearing on the argument
at this point。 It should also be remarked in the same connection
that this description of facts does not overlook the
well…conceived verbal reservations and preambles with which
cautious statesmen habitually surround the common good in the
face of any unseasonable rapacity on the part of the greater
vested interests； it is only that the run of the facts has been
quite patently to the effect so indicated。 In the same connection
it may also not be out of place to recall that a vested interest
is a prescriptive right to get something for nothing； in which
again the kinship and resemblance between vested interests in
business and the sovereign rights of nations comes into view。
So； on the other hand； the great war has brought into a
strong light the obvious fact that； given the existing state of
the industrial arts； any unseasonable rapacity on the part of the
great Powers in exercising their inalienable right of national
self…determination will effectually suppress the similarly
inalienable right of self…determination in any minor nationality
that gets in the way。 All of which is obnoxious to the liberal
principle of self…help or to that of equal opportunity。
Unhappily； these two guiding principles of the modern point of
view self…help and equal opportunity have proved to be
incompatible with one another under the circumstances of the new
order of things。 So there has come into view this project of a
league； by which it is proposed to play fast and loose with the
inalienable right of national self…help by setting up some sort
of a collusive arrangement between the Powers； a conspiracy in
restraint of national intrigue； looking to a reasonable
disallowance of force and fraud in the pursuit of national
ambitions。
Under the material circumstances of the new order those
correctives that were once counted on to keep the run of things
within the margin of tolerance have ceased to be a sufficient
safeguard。 By use and wont； in the Liberal scheme of statecraft
as well as in the scheme of freely competitive business； implicit
faith has hitherto been given to the remedial effect of punitive
competition and the punitive correction of excesses by law and
custom。 It has been a system of adjustment by punitive
afterthought。 All of which may once have been well enough in its
time； so long as the rate and scale of the movement of things
were slow enough and small enough to be effectually overtaken and
set to rights by afterthought。 The modern eighteenth…century
point of view presumes an order of things which is amenable to
remedial adjustment after the event。 But the new order of
industry； and that sweeping equilibrium of material forces that
embodies the new order； is not amenable to afterthought。 Where
human life and human fortunes are exposed to the swing of the
machine system； or to the onset of national ambitions that are
served by the machine industry； it is safety first or none。
However； ripe statesmen and over…ripe captains of finance have so
secure a grasp of first principles that they are still able to
believe quite sincerely in the good old plan of remedial
afterthought； and it still commands the affectionate service of
the jurists and the diplomatic corps。 Meantime the far…reaching；
swift…moving； wide…sweeping m