168 A REVISION OF THE TREATY chap.

little, but leaving it to those, whose business it is, togauge the moment at which it will be safe to embroidersuch patterns on a political banner.

If I look back two years and read again what Iwrote then, I see that perils which were ahead arenow passed safely. The patience of the commonpeople of Europe and the stability of its institutionshave survived the worst shocks they will receive.Two years ago the Treaty , which outraged Justice,Mercy, and Wisdom, represented the momentarywill of the victorious countries. Would the victimsbe patient ? Or would they be driven by despairand privation to shake Society's foundations ? Wehave the answer now. They have been patient.Nothing very much has happened, except pain andinjury to individuals. The communities of Europe are settling down to a new equilibrium. We arealmost ready to turn our minds from the avoidanceof calamity to the renewal of health.

There have been other influences besides thatpatience of the common people which often beforehas helped Europe through worse evils. The actionsof those in power have been wiser than their words.It is only a slight exaggeration to say that no partsof the Peace Treaties have been carried out, exceptthose relating to frontiers and to disarmament. Manyof the misfortunes which I predicted as attendant onthe execution of the Reparation Chapter have notoccurred, because no serious attempt has been made