Upon that Commission the interested nations, that is to say—­putting them in alphabetical order—­the Africander, the Briton, the Belgian, the Egyptian, the Frenchman, the Italian, the Indian the Portuguese—­might all be represented in proportion to their interest.  Whether the German would come in is really a question for the German to consider; he can come in as a good European, he cannot come in as an imperialist brigand.  Whether, too, any other nations can claim to have an interest in African affairs, whether the Commission would not be better appointed by a League of Free Nations than directly by the interested Governments, and a number of other such questions, need not be considered here.  Here we are discussing only the main idea of the Labour proposal.

Now beneath the supervision and restraint of such a delegated Commission I do not see why the existing administrations of tutelage Africa should not continue.  I do not believe that the Labour proposal contemplates any humiliating cession of European sovereignty.  Under that international Commission the French flag may still wave in Senegal and the British over the protected State of Uganda.  Given a new spirit in Germany I do not see why the German flag should not presently be restored in German East Africa.  But over all, standing for righteousness, patience, fair play for the black, and the common welfare of mankind would wave a new flag, the Sun of Africa representing the Central African Commission of the League of Free Nations.

That is my vision of the Labour project.  It is something very different, I know, from the nightmare of an international police of cosmopolitan scoundrels in nondescript uniforms, hastening to loot and ravish his dear Uganda and his beloved Nigeria, which distresses the crumpled pillow of Sir Harry Johnston.  But if it is not the solution, then it is up to him and his fellow authorities to tell us what is the solution of the African riddle.

V

GETTING THE LEAGUE IDEA CLEAR IN RELATION TO IMPERIALISM

Sec. 1

It is idle to pretend that even at the present time the idea of the League of Free Nations has secure possession of the British mind.  There is quite naturally a sustained opposition to it in all the fastnesses of aggressive imperialism.  Such papers as the Times and the Morning Post remain hostile and obstructive to the expression of international ideas.  Most of our elder statesmen seem to have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing during the years of wildest change the world has ever known.  But in the general mind of the British peoples the movement of opinion from a narrow imperialism towards internationalism has been wide and swift.  And it continues steadily.  One can trace week by week and almost day by day the Americanization of the British conception of the Allied War Aims.  It may be interesting to reproduce here