1949 World Federalist California Resolution

WHEREAS, War is now a threat to the very existence of our civilization, because modern science has produced weapons of war which are overwhelmingly destructive and against which there is no sure defense; and

WHEREAS, The effective maintenance of world peace is the proper concern and responsibility of every American citizen; and

WHEREAS, The people of the State of California, while now enjoying domestic peace and security under the laws of their local, state and federal governments, deeply desire the guarantee of world peace; and

WHEREAS, All history shows that peace is the product of law and order, and that law and order are the product of government; and

WHEREAS, The United Nations, as presently constituted, although accomplishing great good in many fields, lacks authority to enact, interpret or enforce world law, and under its present Charter is incapable of restraining any major nations which may foster or foment war; and

WHEREAS, The Charter of the United Nations expressly provides, in Articles 108 and 109, a procedure for reviewing and altering the Charter; and

WHEREAS, The necessity for endowing the United Nations with limited powers rendering it capable of enacting, interpreting or enforcing world law adequate to prevent war, and guaranteeing the inalienable rights of freedom for every human being on earth and the dignity of the individual as exemplified by the American Bill of Rights, has been recognized in the California state conventions and platforms of both the Republican and Democratic parties; and

WHEREAS, Many states have memorialized Congress, through resolutions by their state legislatures or in referenda by their voters, to initiate steps toward the creation of a world federal government reserving to the nations and to the people those rights not specifically granted as necessary to the establishment and the maintenance of world law and order; and

WHEREAS, Several nations (Italy, India, France) have recently adopted constitutional provisions to facilitate their entry into a world federal government by authorizing a delegation to such a world federal government of a portion of their sovereignty to endow it with powers adequate to prevent war; now, therefore be it

Resolved, By the Assembly and Senate of the State of California, jointly, that application is hereby made to the Congress of the United States, pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United States, to call a convention for the sole purpose of proposing amendment of the Constitution to expedite and insure the participation of the United States in a world federal government, open to all nations, with powers which, while defined and limited, shall be adequate to preserve peace, whether the proposed charter or constitution of such world federal government be presented in the form of amendments to the Charter of the United Nations, or by world constitutional convention, or otherwise; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly is hereby directed to transmit copies of this application to the Senate and House of Representatives of the Congress, to the members of the said Senate and House of Representatives from this state, and to the presiding officers of each of the legislatures in the several states, requesting their cooperation.