world can, as I see it, only be brought about in two ways, both Utopian
and likely impracticable, for many years to come. War could be made only
to cease entirely if all the nations of Europe could be organized into a
United States of Europe and if free trade were established throughout
the world. In the first instance, the extreme nationalism, which has
become so rampant during the past fifty years and which has been more or
less at the bottom of every war, would then cease to exist and prevail,
and in the second event, namely, if free trade became established
throughout the world the necessity for territorial expansion and
aggression would no longer be needed, for, with the entire world open on
equal terms to the commerce and industry of every nation, territorial
possession would not be much of a consideration to any peoples.

You continually lay stress upon the danger of the domination of Germany
in Europe and in the world. I believe I have already made myself quite
clear in my recent NEW YORK TIMES interview, which has called forth this
correspondence between us, that neither would I wish to have Germany
come into a position where it might dominate Europe, and more or less
the world, nor do I believe that the German Nation, except perhaps a
handful of extremists, has any such desires.

I believe I have also made myself quite clear in the interview to which
I have referred that my feelings are not anti-English, for I shall never
forget that liberal government and all forms of liberalism have had
their origin, ever since the Magna Charta, in that great nation whom we
so often love to call our cousins. But, with all of this, can you ignore
the fact that England even today, without the further power and prestige
victory in the present conflict would give her, practically dominates
the high seas, that she treats the ocean as her own and enforces her
dictates upon the waters even to our very shores? That this is true the
past four months have amply proved. I am not one of those who fear that
the United States, as far as can now be foreseen, will get into any
armed conflict with Great Britain or with Japan, her permanent ally, but
I can well understand that many in our country are of a different
opinion, and it takes no prophet to foresee that, with England coming
out of this war victorious and her and Japan's power on the high seas
increased, the demand from a large section of our people for the
acquisition and possessio