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A SHORT History OF THE ROUND TABLE SHORT HISTORY ROUND TABLE THE Divided in its reaction to the League of Nations, the Round Table struggled to control events, but its moment was already passing, as was Britain's... Part 4 of 4 lhe Round Table's failure to achieve its primary objective of imperial federation is a significant fact, yet it is ignored by most New World Order researchers. Quigley, though, much to his credit, was not shy of addressing the issue with this trenchant observation: "...whether this group succeeded in transforming the British Empire into a Commonwealth of Nations or merely succeeded in destroying the British Empire is not clear, but one seems as likely as the other".'* Arresting Britain's decline was the ulti- mate goal of these would-be elite conspirators, but the tide of history and the growing nationalism of the dominions were against them. Events during the First World War and the Paris Peace Conference also signalled that there were growing limits to British power and Round Table influence. The catastrophic war against Germany and its allies had accelerated the erosion of Britain's global position. In fact, by the start of 1917 Britain was facing a financial crisis as its reserves of gold and American bonds became seriously depleted, impeding its ability to purchase much needed supplies from the United States. Britain's financial dependence upon the US had reached such a stage by mid-1917, Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer had warned that US President Woodrow Wilson would soon be "in a position, if he wishes, to dictate his own terms to us". Fortunately for Britain, Wilson stopped short of using America's financial power to force both sides to mediate; instead US troops joined the war against Germany. But Wilson did exploit America's newly pre-eminent economic position to introduce on 8 January 1918, what he described as a "programme of the world's peace...the only possible programme..." the "Fourteen Points". The first four points were unashamedly internationalist, calling for the abolition of secret treaties, absolute freedom of the seas, the elimination of trade barriers and global disarmament. Most of the remaining points sought to redress territorial disputes within Europe, except for the fourteenth point, which set out Wilson's overall global vision: "A general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike".'° Wilson's proposal was subsequently realised as a "League of Nations" at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. The Round Table's response to this development is generally assumed to have been positive, although its role in the League's creation is disputed. Mainstream his- torians, such as Kendle, for example, claim the Round Table "had its major wishes fulfilled when both a League of Nations and a mandates system were established by the Peace Conference". Yet, he cautions, the Round Table's "actual effect" on the Peace Conference was "very little" and "should not be exaggerated".'"” Quigley, in contrast, maintains the Round Table had "a great deal to do with the formation and management of the League of Nations and of the system of mandates".’* Outside of the ivory tower, David Icke goes fur- ther to claim the Round Table actually played a central role in the League's creation: Through Milner, [the Round Table] was the chief influence in the British War Cabinet of Lloyd George (Comm 300) in the First World War. It would dominate the British delega - tion at the 'Peace' Conference of 1919, when the shape of the post-war world and German reparation was being decided. It was also the major power behind the creation of the League of Nations, the first attempt at world government by stealth.'” Which of these interpretations is most accurate? There is no simple answer, but as will become apparent, the Round Table attempted to shape the outcome of the Paris Peace Conference though not in ways most would expect. In fact there was an attempt by some by Will Banyan © April 2005 Email: banyan007@rediffmail.com JUNE — JULY 2005 NEXUS = 31 THE ROUND TABLE AND THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS www.nexusmagazine.com