The fact that in the elections held in France, Belgium and Italy the extremists were generally defeated shows that on the whole the world is getting tired of destructive criticism. Under the press of abnormal war conditions hysteria was almost university prevalent; and the belligerents on either side did their best to foster tills mad spirit in the ranks of their enemies with the hope of breaking down their morale and making victory nearer and easier for themselves. But now that the war is over, and people generally are slowly coming to their senses the revolutionary element is finding that its room is desired far more than its company.

In this state we had a striking example only a few weeks ago of a vast majority of sober citizens refusing to be stampeded into doing something that was wrong, even by illusory promises. While it is by no means to be denied that some kinds of radicalism are fully as valuable and desirable as some kinds of conservatism, the people of Massachusetts showed that the kind of radicalism that was offered them was not the kind they wanted; and what was more, they purposed to show the country just where the great mass of the citizenry stood on the matter.

This sane and proper view is now confirmed by countries in Europe. Constructionists in general defeated obstructionists and destructionists. The present time is not one for wild and hare-brained schemes of social milleniums. The job of the world is to get back on its feet after being bled white by a war costing millions of lives and hundred of billions of dollars. In the words of Premier Clemenceau, "the salvation of the world lies in work and work alone." The destructionist and obstructionist Red can cool his head and his head in the outer office for a while. The world is too busy building up to stop and listen to those whose sole object in life seems to be to tear down.

A by-product of these European elections lies in the seeming assurance that the people who are having cold shivers for fear of the Bolsheviks can now go to bed in safety, and expect to wake up in the morning with their houses undemolished by bombs. The world, when one comes right down to it, is a pretty safe and sane old place, after all.