pass frontiers in normal times with insignificant difficulties and do so in response to invitation and even solicitation by foreign countries and their citizens.
All around the world the problems of the weak states promise to hold the front of international attention during the coming decade. In fact the elimination of "unredeemed lands" and the efforts to exploit resources now undeveloped will emphasize the international importance of unprotected interests in disordered states. Though it does not greatly increase their domestic problems the passing of the day when each state was a law into itself creates new international responsibilities for the stronger nations toward the weaker.
The regions of the world in which the problem of the protection of foreign interests promises to be most important are three. In eastern Europe and the Near East it is evident that the settlements following the World War cannot set up states that will at once be able to discharge easily all the responsibilities toward their neighbors and toward resident foreigners that the great powers will wish to have assumed. The Far East will have important problems of adjustment.
Finally there is the unstable area in America—extending from the Rio Grande to northern South America. Africa will probably be less important in matters of this sort because, but for Abyssinia and Liberia, it has ceased to be a region in which there are so-called sovereign states and its other native peoples under European influence, except in Egypt and Morocco, have shown no nationalistic aspirations or aptitudes.
In the American area control by the most powerful
