As the devil’s own entertainment consists in watching the effects of his masterpiece on this warlike spectator, so it may be that those who “staged” the greatest war in mankind’s history derive some bitter instruction from its reception by mankind. They know now that it is condemned by every civilised nation on earth; and before these lines are published their uncivilised catspaws will have ample reason to condemn it also. Neutrals there must be, but impartials none. The sense and spirit of the thinking world now go so far with human reason that they demand a condition of freedom for all men and nations, be they weak or powerful. That ideal inspires the majority of human kind, and it follows that the evolution of morals sets strongly on the side of the Allies. “War,” says Bernhardi, “gives a biologically just decision, since its decisions rest on the very nature of things.” So be it. EDEN PHILLPOTTS [Illustration: “I say, do suggest something new. This is becoming too boring.”] “The Peace Woman” In this humorous yet pathetic cartoon--humorous because of its truth to the type, and pathetic because of the futility of the effort depicted--with unfailing skill the artist shows the folly of the cry “Peace! Peace!” when there is none. In the forefront is a type of woman publicist who can never be happy unless the limelight secured by vocal effort and the advocacy of a “crazy” cause is focussed upon her. She calls “Peace!” that the world may hear, not attend. Behind her stands that other type of detached “peace woman,” who has, judging from her placid yet grieved expression, apparently scarcely realised that the War is too serious and has its genesis in causes too deep-rooted to be quelled by her or her kind. One can imagine her saying: “A war! How terrible! It must be stopped.” The soldier, who is wise enough to prefer armour-plate even to a shield provided by substantially built peace women clad in white, looks on amused. The thinking world as a whole so looks on at “Arks” launched by American millionaire motor manufacturers, and at Pacifist Conferences held whilst the decision as to whether civilisation or savagery shall triumph, and might be greater than right, yet hangs in the balance. There must be no thought of peace otherwise than as the ultimate reward of gallant men fighting in a just cause, and until with it can come permanent security from the “Iron Fist” of Prussian Militarism and aggression, and the precepts of Bernhardi and his kind are shown to be false. Those who talk of peace in the midst of “frightfulness,” of piracy, of reckless carnage and colossal sacrifices of human life which are the fruits of an attempt to save by military glory a crapulous dynasty, however good their intention, lack both mental and moral perspective. CLIVE HOLLAND