I have read seems to me to have an adequate
conception of the colossal changes that the war is bringing and
will bring. Of course, I do not mean to imply that I have any
adequate conception. Nobody can yet grasp it. The loss of (say) ten
million men from production of work or wares or children; what a
changed world that fact alone will make! The presence in all Europe
of (perhaps) fifteen or twenty million more women than men will
upset the whole balance of society as regards the sexes. The loss
of most of the accumulated capital of Europe and the vast burdens
of debt for the future to pay will change the financial relations
of the whole world. From these two great losses--men and money--God
knows the many kinds of changes that will come. Women are doing and
will continue to do many kinds of work hitherto done by men.

Of course there are some great gains. Many a flabby or abject
fellow will come out of the war a real man: he'll be nobody's slave
thereafter. The criminal luxury of the rich will not assert itself
again for a time. The unparalleled addition to the world's heroic
deeds will be to the good of mankind, as the unparalleled suffering
has eclipsed all records. The survivors will be in an heroic mood
for the rest of their lives. In general, life will start on a new
plane and a lot of old stupid habits and old party quarrels and
class prejudices will disappear. To get Europe going again will
call for new resolution and a new sort of effort. Nobody can yet
see what far-reaching effects it will have on government.

If I could make the English and Scotch over, I could greatly
improve them. I'd cut out the Englishman's arrogance and key him up
to a quicker gait. Lord! he's a slow beast. But he's worked out the
germ and the beginning of all real freedom, and he has character.
He knows how to conserve and to use wealth. He's a great John Bull,
after all. And as for commanding the sea, for war or trade, you may
properly bow down to him and pay him homage. The war will, I think,
quicken him up. It will lessen his arrogance--to _us_, at least. I
think it will make him stronger and humbler. And, whatever his
virtues and his faults, he's the only Great Power we can go hand in
hand with....

These kinds of things have been going on now nearly two years