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t need。 Then he remembered that just before leaving home he had heard sung at matins； after the prayer for the President； a beautiful song called 〃Passing Souls。〃 He had asked the rector for a copy of it； and； wondering why； he had put it in his wallet that he carried with him。 He took it out now and holding the hand of the boy at his right； he read to them：
For the passing souls we pray； Saviour； meet them on their way； Let their trust lay hold on Thee Ere they touch eternity。
Holy counsels long forgot Breathe again 'mid shell and shot； Through the mist of life's last pain None shall look to Thee in vain。
To the hearts that know Thee； Lord； Thou wilt speak through flood or sword； Just beyond the cannon's roar； Thou art on the farther shore。
For the passing souls we pray； Saviour； meet them on the way； Thou wilt hear our yearning call； Who hast loved and died for all。
Absolute stillness reigned in the room save for the half…suppressed sob from the nurse and the distant booming of the cannon。 As Bok finished； he heard the boy at his right say slowly： 〃Saviour…meet…me…on…my…way〃： with a little emphasis on the word 〃my。〃 The hand in his relaxed slowly； and then fell on the cot； and he saw that the soul of another brave American boy had 〃gone West。〃
Bok glanced at the other boy； reached for his hand； shook it； and looking deep into his eyes； he left the little hut。
He little knew where and how he was to look into those eyes again！
Feeling the need of air in order to get hold of himself after one of the most solemn moments of his visit to the front； Bok strolled out； and soon found himself on what only a few days before had been a field of carnage where the American boys had driven back the Germans。 Walking in the trenches and looking out； in the clear moonlight； over the field of desolation and ruin； and thinking of the inferno that had been enacted there only so recently； he suddenly felt his foot rest on what seemed to be a soft object。 Taking his 〃ever…ready〃 flash from his pocket； he shot a ray at his feet； only to realize that his foot was resting on the face of a dead German！
Bok had had enough for one evening！ In fact； he had had enough of war in all its aspects； and he felt a sigh of relief when； a few days thereafter； he boarded The Empress of Asia for home； after a ten…weeks absence。
He hoped never again to see； at first hand； what war meant！
XXXVI。 The End of Thirty Years' Editorship
On the voyage home； Edward Bok decided that； now the war was over； he would ask his company to release him from the editorship of The Ladies' Home Journal。 His original plan had been to retire at the end of a quarter of a century of editorship； when in his fiftieth year。 He was； therefore； six years behind his schedule。 In October； 1919； he would reach his thirtieth anniversary as editor； and he fixed upon this as an appropriate time for the relinquishment of his duties。
He felt he had carried out the conditions under which the editorship of the magazine had been transferred to him by Mrs。 Curtis； that he had brought them to fruition； and that any further carrying on of the periodical by him would be of a supplementary character。 He had； too； realized his hope of helping to create a national institution of service to the American woman； and he felt that his part in the work was done。
He considered carefully where he would leave an institution which the public had so thoroughly associated with his personality； and he felt that at no point in its history could he so safely transfer it to other hands。 The position of the magazine in the public estimation was unquestioned； it had never been so strong。 Its circulation not only had outstripped that of any other monthly periodical； but it was still growing so rapidly that it was only a question of a few months when it would reach the almost incredible mark of two million copies per month。 With its advertising patronage exceeding that of any other monthly； the periodical had become； probably； the most valuable and profitable piece of magazine property in the world。
The time might never come again when all conditions would be equally favorable to a change of editorship。 The position of the magazine was so thoroughly assured that its progress could hardly be affected by the retirement of one editor； and the accession of another。 There was a competent editorial staff； the members of which had been with the periodical from ten to thirty years each。 This staff had been a very large factor in the success of the magazine。 While Bok had furnished the initiative and supplied the directing power； a large part of the editorial success of the magazine was due to the staff。 It could carry on the magazine without his guidance。
Moreover； Bok wished to say good…bye to his public before it decided； for some reason or other； to say good…bye to him。 He had no desire to outstay his welcome。 That public had been wonderfully indulgent toward his shortcomings； lenient with his errors； and tremendously inspiring to his best endeavor。 He would not ask too much of it。 Thirty years was a long tenure of office； one of the longest； in point of consecutively active editorship； in the history of American magazines。
He had helped to create and to put into the life of the American home a magazine of peculiar distinction。 From its beginning it had been unlike any other periodical； it had always retained its individuality as a magazine apart from the others。 It had sought to be something more than a mere assemblage of stories and articles。 It had consistently stood for ideals； and； save in one or two instances； it had carried through what it undertook to achieve。 It had a record of worthy accomplishment； a more fruitful record than many imagined。 It had become a national institution such as no other magazine had ever been。 It was indisputably accepted by the public and by business interests alike as the recognized avenue of approach to the intelligent homes of America。
Edward Bok was content to leave it at this point。
He explained all this in December； 1918； to the Board of Directors； and asked that his resignation be considered。 It was understood that he was to serve out his thirty years； thus remaining with the magazine for the best part of another year。
In the material which The Journal now included in its contents； it began to point the way to the problems which would face women during the reconstruction period。 Bok scanned the rather crowded field of thought very carefully； and selected for discussion in the magazine such questions as seemed to him most important for the public to understand in order to face and solve its impending problems。 The outstanding question he saw which would immediately face men and women of the country was the problem of Americanization。 The war and its after…effects had clearly demonstrated this to be the most vital need in the life of the nation； not only for the foreign…born but for the American as well。
The more one studied the problem the clearer it became that the vast majority of American…born needed a refreshing； and； in many cases； a new conception of American ideals as much as did the foreign…born