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As a member of the Institute for Cultural Coöperation, and in the interest of the League of Nations, Einstein briefly formulates the problem of war both from the point of view of causation and prevention, and invites Freud to discuss the human motives which have made warfare an integral part of the development of mankind. Einstein states that a better understanding of the structure of the underlying psychological motivation is essential if there is to be an answer to the question: "Is it possible to free mankind from the unfortunate fatality of war?"
Summarizing the present situation, Einstein points out that although it is universally recognized that the technical development of war has reached a point which threatens the very future existence of civilized man, the most ardent efforts to solve the problems involved have failed to an appalling degree. It is possible "for the states to create a legislative and judiciary body to settle their conflicts. They bind themselves to accept its laws, to bring before the court any matters of dispute, and to abide by its decisions unconditionally, as well as to carry out any measures which the court considers necessary for the execution of its mandates". But, "a court is a human institution, prone to the suasion of extralegal influences in proportion to its lack of independent power to execute its decisions… Might and right are inseparably bound, and the verdicts of a legal body approach the ideal justice of a community …, only in so far as the community is able to mobilize the power to enforce respect for that ideal of justice."
At the present time we have no supra-state organization with unquestionable authority and with the power to enforce complete obedience to its judgment. International safety depends upon the unconditional surrender of absolute state sovereignty, and doubtless there is no other way to obtain it. The fruitless efforts of the last ten years have proven that powerful psychological factors have paralyz