This book consists of a year of journalistic writing, fifty-five articles altogether, and all that ought to be said in the preface will be found in the concluding article.
H. G. W.
CONTENTS
| PAGE | ||
|---|---|---|
| [I.] | The League of Nations and the Federation of Mankind | [3] |
| [II.] | The Beauty of Flying | [10] |
| [III.] | The Triumph of France | [15] |
| [IV.] | The Singapore Arsenal | [21] |
| [V.] | The League of Nations Again | [27] |
| [VI.] | The Aviation of the Half-Civilised | [34] |
| [VII.] | Will Germany Break into Pieces? | [41] |
| [VIII.] | The Future of the British Empire | [47] |
| [IX.] | Winston | [63] |
| [X.] | The Other Side in France | [69] |
| [XI.] | The Last of the Victorians | [75] |
| [XII.] | Politics as a Public Nuisance | [81] |
| [XIII.] | The Re-emergence of Mr. Lloyd George | [87] |
| [XIV.] | Spain and Italy Whisper Together | [93] |
| [XV.] | Latin America and the League | [99] |
| [XVI.] | Cosmopolitan and International | [105] |
| [XVII.] | The Parliamentary Triangle | [111] |
| [XVIII.] | Modern Government: Parliament and Real Electoral Reform | [117] |
| [XIX.] | Scrapping the Gold Standard | [123] |
| [XX.] | The Hub of Europe: Czecho-Slovakia and France | [130] |
| [XXI.] | The Mandarins at the Gate: The Revival of the Old Learning | [136] |
| [XXII.] | Lenin: Private Capitalism against Communism | [142] |
| [XXIII.] | The Fantasies of Mr. Belloc and the Future of the World | [148] |
| [XXIV.] | A Creative Educational Scheme for Britain: A Tentative Forecast | [156] |
| [XXV.] | Portugal and Prosperity: The Blessedness of being a Little Nation | [164] |
| [XXVI.] | Reconstruction of the League of Nations: The Practical Problem | [170] |
| [XXVII.] | The Labour Party on Trial: The Folly of the Five Cruisers | [177] |
| [XXVIII.] | Dictators or Politicians? The Dilemma of Civilisation | [184] |
| [XXIX.] | Youth and the Vote: The Rejuvenescence of the World | [190] |
| [XXX.] | Olive Branches of Steel: Should the Angels of Peace carry Bombs? | [197] |
| [XXXI.] | The Case of Unamuno: The Feeble Republic of Letters | [204] |
| [XXXII.] | An Open Letter to Anatole France on his Eightieth Birthday | [210] |
| [XXXIII.] | The European Kaleidoscope: The German Will in Default | [214] |
| [XXXIV.] | China: The Land out of the Limelight | [220] |
| [XXXV.] | Air Armament: The Supremacy of Quality | [226] |
| [XXXVI.] | Labour Politicians: The Evaporation of the Intelligenzia | [232] |
| [XXXVII.] | Constructive Ideas and their Relation to Current Politics | [239] |
| [XXXVIII.] | The Wembley Empire: An Exhibition of Lost Opportunities | [245] |
| [XXXIX.] | The Extinction of Party Government | [251] |
| [XL.] | The Serfdom of Ignorance: The Right of Women to Knowledge | [257] |
| [XLI.] | Blinkers for Free Youth: Young America asks to Hear and See | [262] |
| [XLII.] | The Lawlessness of America and the Way to Order | [268] |
| [XLIII.] | The Shabby Schools of the Pious: Drains and the Odour of Sanctity | [273] |
| [XLIV.] | The Incompatibility in India: Divorce or Legal Separation | [278] |
| [XLV.] | The Spirit of Fascism: Is there any Good in it at all? | [285] |
| [XLVI.] | The Race Conflict: Is it Unavoidable? | [291] |
| [XLVII.] | The Schools of a New Age: A Forecast | [298] |
| [XLVIII.] | The Impudence of Flags: Our Power Resources and My Elephants, Whales, and Gorillas | [303] |
| [XLIX.] | Has Communism a Future? The Possibility of a Socialist Renascence | [310] |
| [L.] | The Little House: as it was, is now, and apparently ever will be | [317] |
| [LI.] | The Triviality of Democracy and the Feminine Influence in Politics | [323] |
| [LII.] | Sex Antagonism: An Unavoidable and Increasing Factor in Modern Life | [329] |
| [LIII.] | Living Through: The Truth about an Interview | [334] |
| [LIV.] | The Creative Passion | [341] |
| [LV.] | After a Year of Journalism: An Outbreak of Auto-Obituary | [347] |
A YEAR OF PROPHESYING
I
THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS AND THE FEDERATION OF MANKIND
22.9.23
I am one of those people who believe that if human affairs are to go on without decay and catastrophe, there must be an end to the organisation of war. I believe that the power to prepare for war and make war must be withdrawn from separate States, as already it has been withdrawn from separate cities and from districts and from private individuals, and that ultimately there must be a Confederation of all mankind to keep one peace throughout the world.
The United States of America is but the first instance of a federating process which will, I believe, extend at last to the whole world. Since 1917 I have given much more of my waking life to that vision of a confederated mankind than I have given to any other single interest or subject. And yet I am not a supporter of the League of Nations in its present form, and I do not think that the League of Nations at Geneva is ever likely to develop into an effective World Confederation. It is much more likely to develop into a serious obstacle to such a Confederation. The sooner now that it is scrapped and broken up the better, I think, for mankind. I am hostile to the present League of Nations because I desire the Confederation of Mankind.
I do not think that the obstructive possibilities of the existing League of Nations are sufficiently understood by liberal-minded people throughout the world. I do not think they realise how effectively it may be used as a consumer and waster of the creative energy that would otherwise carry us forward toward World Confederation.