It needs, indeed, an effort of the imagination at the moment of
writing to think of Belgium as in any sense a component part of
“Beautiful Europe.” The unhappy “cockpit” of the Continent at the
actual hour is again in process of accomplishing its frightful
destiny–no treaty, or “scrap of paper,” is potent to preserve
this last, and weakest, of all the nations of Western Europe from
drinking to the dregs the cup of ruin and desolation. Tragic