After four years, three months and ten days of the most terrible conflict in history, the announcement of the German surrender marks a cessation of fighting on all the fronts and the associated Powers enter on the task of the better ordering of the future world. It is difficult to find adequate expression to the feelings with which the news will be received throughout the world without being banal. The victory of the associated Powers is the victory of Civilisation over the forces of Barbarism, which, in its greatest as we devoutly hope is its last struggle, has exceeded all its previous records in “frightfulness”. Purged by the chastening fires of this conflict the German people have at last begun to find themselves and by deposing the greatest criminal in history have wiped out some portion of those sins, active and passive, which have cast the world into agony for over four years. It is for the associated Powers so to temper justice with mercy as to take account that the expiation is not more severe than the sins merit. It is also for them, as for the new-born enemy democracies, to ensure that the sacrifices of the past have not been in vain and that the world is made safe for Democracy and Civilisation. It is for them to win a yet greater victory than that over Germany, the victory over the forces in their own countries of Imperialism and national greed which in the intoxication of triumph are likely to destroy their sense of righteousness unless kept in careful check.
