Westphalia (1648) recognized and
for two centuries secured in a fairly independent existence, and,
secondly, a tendency from the middle of the nineteenth century toward
larger national units, created by combining several kindred States
under one executive. This second tendency was illustrated strongly in
the case of both Germany and Italy, although the Prussian domination in
Germany has no parallel in Italy. Somewhat earlier in the nineteenth
century the doctrine of the neutralization of the territories of small
States was established as firmly as solemn treaties could do it. The
larger national units had a more or less federative quality, the
components yielding some of their functions to a central power, but
retaining numerous independent functions. This tendency to limited
unification is one which Americans easily understand and appreciate. We
believe in the federative principle, and must therefore hope that out of
the present European horror will come a new development of that
principle, and new security for small States which are capable of
guaranteeing to their citizens "life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness"--a security which no citizen of any European country seems
today to possess.

Some of the underlying causes of the horrible catastrophe the American
people are now watching from afar are commercial and economic. Imperial
Germany's desire for colonies in other continents--such as Great Britain
and France secured earlier as a result of keen commercial ambitions--is
intense. Prussia's seizure of Schleswig in 1864-5 had the commercial
motive; and it is with visions of ports on the North Sea that Germany
justifies her present occupation of Belgium. The Russians have for
generations desired to extend their national territory southward to the
Aegean and the Bosphorus, and eastward to good harbors on the Pacific.
Later they pushed into Mongolia and Manchuria, but were resisted
successfully by Japan. Austria-Hungary has long been seeking ports on
the Adriatic, and lately seized without warrant Herzegovina and Bosnia
to promote her approach toward the Aegean, and is now trying to seize
Servia with the same ends in view. With similar motives Italy lately
descended on Tripoli, without any excuse except this intense desire for
colonies--profitable or unprofitable. On the other hand, the American
people, looking to the future as well as to the past, object to
acquisitions of new territory by force of arms; and since