neutral Poland would form a useful buffer between Germany and Russia. Such
neutralisation, it should be noted, need not necessarily carry with it
independence. Poland and Alsace-Lorraine might form part of Russia and
France respectively, and still be neutralised by a guarantee of other
powers. A precedent exists for this in the terms of the cession of the
Ionian Islands to Greece in 1864, while Savoy, though a province of France,
is technically neutralised territory.[2] Cases like these, however, it must
be admitted, are extremely anomalous and could hardly stand the strain of
a serious war. But, then, as recent experience has shown us, not even
independent neutralised States are safe when all Europe is aflame. The
truth is that the whole conception of neutrality implies the existence of
some power above and beyond the State, it may be simply a group of powerful
States who are able to impose their will upon the rest of Europe, it may
be a general Congress, like the Congress of Vienna. Since the Concert of
Europe disappeared and gradually gave place to the two opposing alliances
of great powers, there has been no such authority in the civilised world.
The results are before us in the ruined cities and starving population of
violated Belgium.

[Footnote 1: The neutralisation of sovereign States is very recent in
origin. Switzerland and Luxembourg are the only other instances. The former
was neutralised in 1815, the latter in 1867.]

[Footnote 2: _Cambridge Modern History_, xi. 642. See for the whole
question of neutralised States, Lawrence, _Principles of International
Law_, §§ 246-248.]

As independent States, therefore, small nations can only survive, in
the long run, if their neutrality is permanently guaranteed by some
international authority, which is itself permanently capable of enforcing