his voice, saw the flash of his eyes.

The Minister looked towards me in a bewildered kind of way. I have an
idea that he thought Edgecumbe was mad.

'I don't quite understand you,' he said. 'Will you tell me exactly what
you mean?'

'I asked you,' said Edgecumbe, 'what you thought were the forces to be
used in order to win this war, and you told me; whereupon I asked you
where God came in.'

'God!' repeated the Minister; 'why, we are at war!'

'Exactly, that is why I ask. When the war commenced, the people of the
nation were informed that we were going to fight a holy war, that we were
going to crush militarism, do justice to small states, bring about an
abiding peace in the world. We were told that it was God's war. May I
ask where God comes in in your scheme of carrying it on?'

The Minister smiled. Evidently he had come to the conclusion that
Edgecumbe was a harmless lunatic, and should not be taken seriously.

'The fact that we are fighting for a just cause,' he said, 'is sufficient
to prove that it is God's war.'

'But is that all?'

The Minister looked at him helplessly. Evidently he did not think it
worth while to carry the conversation further.

'Because,' went on Edgecumbe quietly, 'as far as I have watched the
course of events, we have been fighting, as far as the Government is
concerned, as though God did not exist. A great many appeals have been
made to the nation, yet think what they amount to! First of all the
country was appealed to for men, and the men volunteered. But that was
not enough. A certain section of the press cried out for conscription,
and demanded that Parliament should pass a Bill giving power to the
authorities to compel every man of military age to join the Forces. That
was done. Then there was the trouble about munitions, and power was
given whereby many works were controlled, and huge factories were built
all over the country for the production of big guns and explosives. In
addition to that, there was appeal after appeal for money, and still more
money. Then we were told that the whole nation should serve, and there
was a further appeal for a National Service. We were told that if these
things were done victory was certain.'

'But surely you do not object to this?' said the Cabinet Minister in
astonishment.

'Certainly not,' replied Edgecumbe. 'I agree with every one of them; but
I asked where God came in. We pretend to believe in God, don't we?'

'We