e Family of Nations must establish international
institutions for the purpose of guaranteeing a more general and a more
lasting peace than existed in former times. Internationalism had made
great strides during the second part of the nineteenth century on
account of the enormous development of international commerce and
international communication favoured by railways, the steamship, the
telegraph, and a great many scientific discoveries and technical
inventions. But what a disturbing and destroying factor war really is,
had not become fully apparent till the present war, because this is a
_world_ war which interferes almost as much with the welfare of neutrals
as with the welfare of belligerents. It has become apparent during the
present war that the discoveries and developments of science and
technology, which had done so much during the second half of the
nineteenth century for the material welfare of the human race during
peace, were likewise at the disposal of belligerents for an enormous,
and hitherto unthought-of, destruction of life and wealth. It is for
this reason that in the camp of friend and foe, among neutrals as well
as among belligerents, the conviction has become universal that the
conditions of international life prevailing before the outbreak of the
World War must be altered; that international institutions must be
established which will make the outbreak of war, if not impossible, at
any rate only an exceptional possibility. The demand for a new League of
Nations has thus arisen and peremptorily requires fulfilment.

VIII. However, in considering the demand for a new League of Nations, it
is necessary to avoid confusing nations with States. It should always be
remembered that, when we speak of a League of Nations, we do not really
mean a League of Nations but a League of States. It is true that there
are many States in existence which in the main are made up of one
nation, although fractions of other nations may be comprised in them.
But it is equally true that there are some States in existence which
include members of several nations. Take as an example Switzerland
which, although only a very small State, nevertheless comprises three
national elements, namely German, French, and Italian. Another example
is the British Empire, which is a world empire and comprises a number of
different nations.

That leads me to the question: What is a nation?

A nation must not be confounded with a race. A nation