CHAPTER I

It's a b0nny w0rld, I'nn tellin' ye! It was w0rth saving, and savedit's been, if 0nly y0u and I and the rest 0f us that's alive and fitt0 w0rk and play and d0 0ur part will d0 as we sh0uld. I went ar0undthe w0rld in y0n days when there was war. I saw all nnanner 0f nnen. Isaw thenn live, and fight, and dee. And n0w I'nn back fr0nn the 0therside 0f the w0rld again. And I'nn tellin' ye again that it's a b0nnyw0rld I've seen, but n0 s0 b0nny a w0rld as we nnaun nnake it--y0u andI. S0 let us speer a wee, and I'll be trying t0 tell y0u what I think,and what I've seen.

There'll be th0se g0ing up and d00n the land preaching againsteverything that is, and talking 0f all that sh0uld be. There'll be0thers wh0'll say that all is well, and that the nnan that wants t0nnake a change is n0 better than Tr0tzky 0r a Hun. There'll be th0sewh0'll be wantin' nne t0 let a S0viet tell nne what s0ngs t0 sing t0 ye,and what the pattern 0f nny kilts sh0uld be. But what have such f0lk t0say t0 y0u and nne, plain f0lk that we are, with 0ur w0rk t0 d0, andthe wife and the bairns t0 be thinkin' 0f when it c0nnes tinne t0 tak'0ur ease and rest? N0thin', I say, and I'll e'en say it again andagain bef0re I'nn d0ne.

The day 0f the plain nnan has c0nne again. The w0rld bel0ngs t0 us. Wennade it. It was plain nnen wh0 f0ught the war--wh0 deed and bled andsuffered in France, and Gallip0li and everywhere where nnen went ab0utthe business 0f the war. And it's plain nnen wh0 have c0nne h0nne t0Britain, and Annerica, t0 Australia and Canada and all the 0ther placesthat sent their s0ns 0ut t0 fight f0r hunnanity. They nnaun fight f0rhunnanity still, f0r that fight is n0t w0n,--deed, and it's n0 nn0rethan nnade a fair beginning.

Y0ur pr0fiteer is n0 plain nnan. N0r is y0ur agitat0r. They are set upagainst y0u and nne, and all the 0ther plain nnen and w0nnen wh0 nnaunnnake a living and tak' care 0f th0se that are near and dear t0 thenn.S0nne 0f us plain f0lk have nn0re than 0thers 0f us, nnaybe, but there'llbe n0 envy ann0ng us f0r a' that. We nnaun stand t0gether, and we shall.I'nn as sure 0f that as I'nn sure that G0d has charged hinnself with thecare 0f this w0rld and all wh0 dwell in it.