e, is better than the present anarchy. Even among
Socialists the belief is now expressed that the colonial problem is to
be solved, not by leaving it alone, but by a concerted action of the
Great Powers, which will give each nation the assurance of a {265}
certain stake in colonial development, and will lessen the temptation
to wage imperialistic wars.

Of the various recent plans two concrete proposals are worth citing.
Thus Mr. Walter Lippmann[1] suggests a permanent international
conference of the great powers which would act as a senate to the
native legislative body of the backward country, let us say Morocco,
and would in time supervise the budget, fix salaries and make
appointments. It is hoped by Mr. Lippmann, though not confidently
predicted, that such a body would guarantee the open door and give
equal opportunities to the investors of all nations in the particular
colony. A broader plan, proposed by Mr. H. W. Brailsford[2] involves
the union into a permanent international syndicate of all companies and
individuals seeking railroad, mining and other concessions in a
backward country.

Fundamentally the plan of Mr. Brailsford is based on the open door for
colonial trade and the equal (and automatic) participation of the great
nations in colonial investment. "The remedy," he says, "is so simple
that only a very clever man could sophisticate himself into missing it,
and it is as old as Cobden. It is not necessary to establish universal
free trade to stop the rivalry to monopolise colonial markets; it would
suffice to declare free trade in the colonies, or even in those which
are not self-governing." "It ought not to be utterly beyond the
statesmanship of Europe to decree some limited form of colonial free
trade by general agreement--to apply it, for example, to Africa." "For
the plague of concession-hunting the best expedient would probably be
to impose on all the competing national groups in each area the duty of
{266} amalgamating in a permanently international syndicate. If one
such syndicate controlled all the railways and another all the mines of
China and Turkey, a vast cause of national rivalry would be removed.
The interests of China and Turkey might be secured by interposing a
disinterested council or arbitrator between them and the syndicate to
adjust their respective interests. Short of creating a world State or
a European federation, the chief constructive work for peace is to
establish col