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before Frederick the Great Pickpocket came to the throne。 And
now； with much sage counsel from the safe and sane statesmen of
the status quo ante。 Czechs。 Slovaks。 Slovenes； Ruthenians；
Ukrainians； Croats； Poles and Polaks are breathlessly elbowing
their way into line with these minuscular Michiavellians。 Quite
unchastened by their age…long experience in adversity they are
all alike clamoring for national establishments stocked up with
all the time…tried contrivances for discomfort and defeat。 With
one hand they are making frantic gestures of distress for an
〃outlet to the sea〃 by means of which to escape insufferable
obstruction of their overseas trade by their nationally minded
neighbors； while with the other hand they are feverishly at work
to contrive a customs frontier of their own； together with other
standard devices for obstructing their neighbors' trade and their
own； so soon as they shall have any trade to obstruct。 Such is
the force of habit and tradition。 In other words； these peoples
are aiming to become self…determining nations in good standing。
And all the while it is plain to all men that a national
〃outlet to the sea〃 has no meaning in time of pence and in the
absence of national governments working at cross…purposes。 Which
comes near to saying that the sole material object of these new
projects in nation…making is to work at cross…purposes with their
neighbors across the new…found national frontiers。 So also it is
plain that this mutual working at cross…purposes between the
nations hinders the keeping of the peace； even when it is all
mitigated with all the approved apparatus of diplomatic
make…believe； compromise； and intrigue。 Just as it is plain that
the peace is not to be kept by use of armaments； but all the
while national armaments are also included as an indispensable
adjunct of national life； in all the projects of these new
nations of the Balkan pattern。 The right to carry arms is an
inalienable right of national self…determination and an
indispensable means of self…help； as understood by these
nation…makers of the old school。 So also it is plain that
national pretensions in the field of foreign trade and
investment； and all the diversified expedients for furthering and
protecting the profitable enterprise of the vested interests in
foreign parts； run consistently at cross…purposes with the
keeping of the peace。
And all the while the rule of Live and Let Live； as it works
out within the framework of the new industrial order； will not
tolerate these things。 But the rule of Live and Let Live； which
embodies the world's hope of peace on earth and a practicable
modicum of good will among men； is not of the essence of that
time…worn statesmanship which is now busily making the world safe
for the vested interests。 Neglect and disallowance of those
things that make for embroilment does not enter into the counsels
of the nation…makers or of those stupendous figures of veiled
statecraft that now move in the background and are shaping the
destinies of these and other nations with a view to the status
quo ante。
All these peoples that now hope to be nations have long been
nationalities。 A nation is an organisation for collective offence
and defence； in peace and war； essentially based on hate and
fear of other nations； a nationality is a cultural group； bound
together by home…bred affinities of language； tradition； use and
wont； and commonly also by a supposed community race；
essentially based on sympathies and sentiments of
self…complacency within itself。 The Welsh and the Scotch are
nationalities； more or less well defined； although they are not
nations in the ordinary meaning of the word； so also are the
Irish； with a difference； and such others as the Finns and the
Armenians。 The American republic is a nation； but not a
nationality in any full measure。 The Welsh and the Scotch have
learned the wisdom of Live and Let Live； within the peace of the
Empire； and they are not moving to break bounds and set up a
national integrity after the Balkan pattern。
The case of the Irish is peculiar； at least so they say。
They； that is to say the Irish by sentiment rather than by
domicile； the Irish people as contrasted with the vested
interests of Ulster； of the landlords； of the Church； and of the
bureaucracy；these Irish have long been a nationality and are now
mobilising all their force to set up a Balkan state； autonomous
and defensible； within the formal bounds of the Empire or
without。 Their case is peculiar and instructive。 It throws a
light on the margin of tolerance； of what the traffic will bear；
beyond which an increased pressure on a subject population will
bring no added profit to the vested interests for whose benefit
the pressure is brought to bear。 It is a case of the Common Man
hard ridden in due legal form by the vested interests of the
Island； and of the neighboring island； which are duly backed by
an alien and biased bureaucracy aided and abetted by the priestly
pickpockets of the poor。 So caught in this way between the devil
and the deep sea； it is small wonder if they have chosen in the
end to follow counsels of desperation and are moving to throw
their lot into the deep sea of national self…help and
international intrigue。 They have reached the point where they
have ceased to say： 〃It might have been worse。〃 The case of the
Finns； Jews； and Armenians is not greatly different in general
effect。
It is easy to fall into a state of perturbation about the
evil case of the submerged； exploited； and oppressed minor
nationalities； and it is not unusual to jump to the conclusion
that national self…determination will surely mend their evil
case。 National self…determination and national integrity are
words to conjure with； and there is no denying that very
substantial results have been known to follow from such
conjuring。 But self…determination is not a sovereign remedy；
particularly not as regards the material conditions of life for
the common man； for that somewhat more than nine…tenths of the
population who always finally have to bear the cost of any
national establishment。 It has been tried； and the point is left
in doubt。 So the case of Belgium or of Serbia during the past
four years has been scarcely less evil than that of the Armenians
or the Poles。 Belgium and Serbia were nations； in due form； very
much after the pattern aimed at in the new projected nations
already spoken of； whereas the Armenians and the Poles have been
subject minor nationalities。 Belgium。 Serbia； and Poland have
been subject to the ravages of an imperial power which claims
rank as a civilised people； whereas the Armenians have been
manhandled by the Turks。 So； again； the Irish are a subject minor
nationality； whereas the Roumanians are a nation in due form。 In
fact the Roumanians are just such a balkan state as the Irish
aspire to become。 But no doubt the common man is appreciably
worse off in his material circumstances in Roumania than in
Ireland。 Japan； too； is not only a self…determining nation with a
full charge of national integrity； but it is a Great Power； yet
the common man the somewhat more than nine…tenths of the
population is doubtless worse off in point of hard usage and
privation in Japan than in Ireland。
In further illustration of this doubt and perplexity with
regard to the material value of national self…determination； the
case of the three Scandinavian countries may be worth citing。
They are all and several self…determining nations； in that
Pickwickian sense in which any country which is not a Great Power
may be self…determining in the twentieth century。 But they differ
in size； population； wealth； power； and political consequence。 In
these respects the sequence runs： Sweden； Denmark。 Norway； the
latter being the smallest； poorest； least self…determining； and
in point of self…determining nationalism altogether the most
spectacularly foolish of the lot。 But so far as concerns the
material conditions of life for the common man； they are
unmistakably the most favorable； or the most nearly tolerable； in
Norway； and the least so in Sweden。 The upshot of evidence from
these； and from other instances that might be cited； is to leave
the point in doubt。 It is not evident that the common man has
anything to gain by national self…determination； so far as
regards his material conditions of life； nor does it appear； on
the evidence of these instances； that he has much to lose by that
means。
These Scandinavians differ from the Balkan states in that
they perforce have no imperialistic ambitions。 There may of
course be a question on this head so far as concerns the frame of
mind of the royal establishment in the greater one of the
Scandinavian kingdoms； there is not much that is worth saying
about that matter； and the less that is said； the less annoyance。
It is a matter of no significance； anyway。 The Scandinavians are
in effect not imperialistic； perforce。 Which means that in their
international relations they formal