Readers respond

We Need Regional Federations
The Autumn 04 TDWF contained an article:"Many Paths to Our Goal," that mentions a 2002 [sic] Resolution that "...The WFA...shall in its educational efforts...present balanced information about ..." This is followed by six suggested goals. There is no mention of a region-by-region approach to the creation of a World Federation, under the UN or otherwise.
Let us compare the plans mentioned with another one.
Following WWI, the League of Nations was organized. Following WWII, the United Nations was established. Both confederations were basically debating societies, not governing legislatures. Both lacked security forces, having neither police nor military powers. As a result, neither has succeeded in ending the scourge of war. It is not difficult to understand why these bodies were denied armies. The people of the world - myself included - do not trust having such great military power, a World Army, unified under a single command.
Both the League and the UN may be categorized as "all-at-once" efforts. The [2002] resolution, which discusses a UN Charter Review Conference and/or World Constitutional Convention, promotes two more "all-at-once" efforts. Each aspires to produce reforms for the entire world.
Is there an alternative, one in which there can be security forces powerful enough to enforce laws and maintain peace between the nations of the world, but not so powerful as to threaten to become a world dictatorship? One that does not require a worldwide "all-at-once" revolution?
I believe that there is. It is Regional Democratic Federations (RDF), each with a Regional Security Organization (RSO). These RSO's would include police, diplomats, mediation facilities, humanitarian assistance, and military forces adequate to stop an assault by any nation within the region or by any of its neighbors.
We have now extant a regional democratic federation in Europe. For almost 60 years the countries of that region have kept the peace internally, cooperated economically (through the Coal and Steel Community and later via the European Union) and (through NATO) defended themselves from Soviet intrusion.
These RDF's can serve as the building blocks of a World Federation. Countries within a common region are more likely to realize that many modern problems do not stay contained within national boundaries, and, as a result, they should be more likely to take an active interest in creating mutually beneficial circumstances. While that is occurring, the people within a region learn to trust the enforcement powers of their RSO and also begin to solve problems through collective democracy.
Throughout history, democracies tend not to go to war with other democracies. As each region will be democratic, the chances for inter-regional war will be slim. A Democratic World Federation can ensure peace and cooperation between the regions.
After years of studying this issue, it is my own conviction that the region-by-region strategy, not the all-at-once strategy, has the best chance of creating a Democratic World Federation.
-- James Adams Ph.D., member of DWF’s Board of Directors and U.S. Steering Committee of the Global Action to Prevent War.
Editor’s note: The European Union is making progress toward becoming a democratic regional federation. Its members are already discussing the creation of a EU military force and throughout the year European states will be conducting a referendum on a proposed new European Constitution.
The success of this region has spawned other regional federations, as can be seen in the fledgling African Union and the developing South American Community of Nations.

Working Together for a World Constitution
The four preconditions for a World Constitution stated in Bob Gauntt's resolution are precisely satisfied by the Constitution for the Federation of Earth (CFE) drawn up by the World Constitution and Parliament Association. Surely it makes no sense that organizations so closely in agreement and with the same ultimate goal should not cooperate, and for the Northern Californian World Federalists to refrain from ratifying the Constitution for the Federation of Earth and combining with the Global Ratification and Election Network (GREN) in the campaign for final ratification.
Your short-term goals would be acceptable only if they led to a prompt replacement of the UN Charter by such a Constitution, subject to amendment (as the CFE is) by a democratically elected World Parliament or by the popular petition.
It is useless to "reform" the UN in other respects (e.g., increasing the size of the Security Council) as long as the present Charter remains in force, for it is fatally flawed by its Article 2 committing it to respect the sovereignty of the members, and by its Chapter VI, providing warlike measures as ostensible means to the preservation of world peace. If these two features removed, the rest of the Charter becomes virtually meaningless.

It would be a great step forward if you and Glend Martin could get together and bring about some effective way of working in coordination.

-- Professor Errol E. Harris, Amberside, England.