“Exactly. The Germans, they say, fire on Belgian women and children. Do you think they would mow down their own? Not for all the Kaisers ever heard of. War would stop. But I do not think it would ever come to that final test. Certainly it would never come to it more than once. A thousand women shot down by their own men would create such a revulsion of feeling that wars would end. Telemachus ended the fights in the arena by giving just his single life. Here would be a thousand Telemachuses,--a million if need be!!! If their determination was known, and that it would be persisted in to the very uttermost,--to death itself,--the men would understand that war was impossible, and they would find some other way out. But, mind you, if women had their proper share in the councils of the state their voice would always, on both sides, be for reason and righteousness. It only needs reason and righteousness on both sides to arrive at the proper solution of any dispute.” “I wish with all my heart you could bring it about, my dear. It is a grand idea,” said Mrs Dare. “But----” “How were you thinking of roping all the women of the world in, Al? It’s a mighty big contract,” asked Vic. “At first it seemed to me that if you could show the militant women how much more likely they were to attain their ends by my ideas than by theirs--they could do it. But I am not sure. They have turned the world against them by their follies. Nobody would trust them. And then, suddenly, I thought of the Salvation Army. I see a good deal of them, you know, round our way. And those gentle-voiced women, with the quiet happy faces and shining eyes--it is just the very work for them. They are in and of every country in the world, and everywhere they are held in esteem. They certainly could do it. Those Salvation Army women could save the world from War.” “Alma,” said Mrs Dare, with shining eyes and deep conviction. “You lay awake to some purpose, my dear. It is a noble idea. I wish it could be brought about.” “It could. But whether it can----” “The Krupps, and all the other war-mongers in every country, would fight you like Death,” said Vic. “Of course. That is their only raison d’être. But the women could beat the war-mongers.” “And all the Kings, Kaisers, Tzars, Emperors, and such like would be dead against you.” “Yes. It would be better for my schemes if they were all done away with. Republics don’t as a rule go to war as readily as Kingdoms and Empires.” “South America,” suggested Honor. “They are exceptions because they are not yet educated up to self-government. But where a King is the best man for the post I should let him remain--as president.” “There was one of our stalwarts at the Pension Estèphe,” said Lois. “Who used to argue such matters with Ray. And I remember him saying one day,--‘You in England are very well-placed. You have practically a Republic with a permanent head.’ It struck us both as very sensible.”