CHAPTER XVII

WHEN THE BOYS COME HOME

Mighty powers are at work in the world today. Mighty changes are taking place within the depths of our natures. We are not satisfied with the old order of things that have trailed along with our _opulent years_. The great holocaust of war has sobered our senses and we find ourselves taking stock of the past with particular reference to the future--the near future we hope.

We are thinking of the day when the boys will _come back home_ and we have it in mind to tidy up considerably by the time they begin to arrive. We believe they will approve of our work, and unless they do we may as well look the situation squarely in the face--they’ll do some cleaning up on their own account. _They’ll finish the job._

The order of the day is _change_. There are old, worn-out labels that must give place to new ones, particularly one which has outlived its usefulness, entitled--_the inherent rights of man_. It needs revising. Its by-laws must be revamped, recast along modern lines in order that _liberty_ shall not be mistaken for _license_ nor any man claim immunity on the assumption that because this is a free country _he may do as he may please_.

When the boys come home they are going to ask for an accounting. They will want to take more than just a peep at our stewardship. Where are the _loafers_ hanging out? They’ll ask us that. And they’ll ask about the dives and dens and _thief-making sports_ that boldly flaunted themselves in the days before _the great change_.

A lot of the boys won’t come home. They’ll be asleep, over there, but the big majority will return and they will be men of brawn--_resolute and brave_. They will begin at once to ask questions that will make some of us wince, and they are going to insist upon truthful answers. “_What about the profiteers?_” They’re going to insist on knowing all about these fellows. They will seek them out and compel them to disgorge their ill-gotten gains--profits taken from the families of these men who crossed the seas to rid the world of _just such a piratical crew_.

And what about _booze_--have we given that traffic the final punch? If it wasn’t good for soldiers to _fight on_ how could it be useful in _civil life_? These are questions we’ve got to answer when the boys come home and it looks as though we were going to be able to give a good account of ourselves--_thanks to the government_.

Things are changing--many things have already changed. The big crucial tests upon our national conscience are coming to a head. Our government is _far-seeing_ and alert. Abuses still exist, but the eyes of able men are upon them. A government that is capable of sending millions of men under prime conditions to foreign lands in behalf of our _most precious rights_ need not be expected to fall down on the task of cleaning things up at home while they are away. The whole world is to be made safe and clean, _including the U. S. A._