EDITORIAL 37 



shape our lives. We have discovered that we are far more com- 

 fortable ^nthout many things which we had regarded as necessities; 

 only after we had given them up did we realize what useless bur- 

 dens they were. Let otir foremost New Year's resolution be to 

 keep the freedom, so dearly won, by guarding jealously against 

 those things which fetter and load us down. 



Meanwhile, we have made the wonderful disco verj- that we can 

 accomplish a great work at any time that we have the will and the 

 determination to imdertake it ; and we can do it without inter- 

 fering in any disastrous manner with our regular daily duties. 

 This is especially so of women. When we come to fully reahze 

 all that we have accomplished for the Red Cross and kindred 

 activities, using for them only our surplus time and energy-, we may 

 be inspired to imdertake to write epics or paint pictures or compose 

 symphonies or establish philanthropies or conduct business 

 enterprises. 



A Happy New Year to us all ! May it bring us the wisdom to 

 make best use of the lessons we have learned during four agonizing 

 years; and may it bring us full freedom to give careful thought as 

 to what should be the proper and right activities of citizens at 

 peace in a world which we trust is planning to stay peaceful I 



The Meaning of It All 



Ages and ages back, 



Out of the long grass with infinite pain raising itself into the upright position, 



A creature — ^fore-runner of Man — ^with swift eyes glanced around. 



So to-day once more. 



With pain, pain and suffering — driven by what strange instinct — who can tell? 



Out of the great jungle of Custom and supposed Necessity, into a new and 



wonderful life, to new and wonderful knowledge, 

 Siupassing words, surpassing all past experience — the Man, the meaning of 



it all, 

 Uprears himself again. 



— Edward' Carpenter in "Towards Democracy." 



