I suppose (though the Lord only knows) that I'll have to be here another Christmas; but another after that?
Not on your life! I think I'm as cheerful and hopeful as I ever was, but this experience here and the war have caused my general confidence in the orderly progress of civilization somewhat to readjust itself.

I think that any man who looks over the world and who knows something of the history of human society--I mean any American who really believes in democracy and in human progress--is somewhat saddened to see the exceeding slowness of that progress.

In the early days of our Republic hopeful Americans held the opinion that the other countries of the world would follow our example; that is to say, would educate the people, would give the masses a chance to become real men, would make their governments and institutions serve the people, would dispense with kings and gross privileges and become free.

Well, they haven't done it.

France is nominally a republic, but the masses of its people are far, far backward.