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.
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