With the full and direct co-operation of the Federal Bureau of Americanization, the material was assembled and worked up with the result that, in the opinion of the director of the Federal Bureau, the series proved to be the most comprehensive exposition of practical Americanization adapted to city, town, and village, thus far published.

The work on this series was one of the last acts of Edward Bok’s editorship; and it was peculiarly gratifying to him that his editorial work should end with the exposition of that Americanization of which he himself was a product.  It seemed a fitting close to the career of a foreign-born Americanized editor.

The scope of the reconstruction articles now published, and the clarity of vision shown in the selection of the subjects, gave a fresh impetus to the circulation of the magazine; and now that the government’s embargo on the use of paper had been removed, the full editions of the periodical could again be printed.  The public responded instantly.

The result reached phenomenal figures.  The last number under Bok’s full editorial control was the issue of October, 1919.  This number was oversold with a printed edition of two million copies—­a record never before achieved by any magazine.  This same issue presented another record unattained in any single number of any periodical in the world.  It carried between its covers the amazing total of over one million dollars in advertisements.

This was the psychological point at which to stop.  And Edward Bok did.  Although his official relation as editor did not terminate until January, 1920, when the number which contained his valedictory editorial was issued, his actual editorship ceased on September 22, 1919.  On that day he handed over the reins to his successor.

The announcement of Edward Bok’s retirement came as a great surprise to his friends.  Save for one here and there, who had a clearer vision, the feeling was general that he had made a mistake.  He was fifty-six, in the prime of life, never in better health, with “success lying easily upon him”—­said one; “at the very summit of his career,” said another—­and all agreed it was “queer,” “strange,”—­unless, they argued, he was really ill.  Even the most acute students of human affairs among his friends wondered.  It seemed incomprehensible that any man should want to give up before he was, for some reason, compelled to do so.  A man should go on until he “dropped in the harness,” they argued.

Bok agreed that any man had a perfect right to work until he did “drop in the harness.”  But, he argued, if he conceded this right to others, why should they not concede to him the privilege of dropping with the blinders off?

“But,” continued the argument, “a man degenerates when he retires from active affairs.”  And then, instances were pointed out as notable examples.  “A year of retirement and he was through,” was the picture given of one retired man.  “In two years, he was glad to come back,” and so the examples ran on.  “No big man ever retired from active business and did great work afterwards,” Bok was told.