The past fortnight, partly perhaps owing to the uncertainty of
the political situation, has been marked by a great deal of anxiety and pessimism of a very unworthy kind. Yet there is no real cause for grumblings and lamentings, but strong cause for the reverse. We have been optimistic throughout the war, but we admit that at periods like that of the last days of October ours was optimism based on faith, faith in the in- vincible courage and great.heartedness of the British people. Now, however, our optimism is based upon facts. Provided that we hold on and do not flinch from the last and most painful pull upon the rope, nothing can prevent our winning. To say this is not to say that we shall not have plenty of suffering and misery, plenty of terrible moments, plenty of disasters, if you will But all these evils will be superficial. We verily believe that the war is won already, subject only to our having the will-power to reach out and seise and make use of the oppor- tunities within our grasp. If we abuse each other because we have not got enough shells or the right shells, and curse and sweat and scream over who is to be made the scapegoat instead of settling down to putting the trouble right, we may no doubt be beaten. But we can win if we really want to do so. Of that we are as sure as that the sun will rise to-morrow.
