with shrinking forces held in check the
war power of Germany. Every week help was expected from the Allies,
but no help came, for no country in Europe outside of Germany and
Austria had any expectation of war.

Down to the ground and their graves fought the plucky little Belgians,
until they numbered, not 260,000, but nearer 60,000. After every
able-bodied man in Belgium was demanded by King Albert, the ranks of
the Belgians began to swell, and, with able-bodied refugees returned
from England, there are now about 120,000 men in the ten divisions of
the Belgian army.

But England carries, as she ought, the financial burden. She feeds,
clothes, and equips the Belgians and furnishes the money-supply. The
Germans still strive, not so much against the Allies as against the
English in Belgium. Here the fighting is fiercest, casualties are
greatest, and here the reinforcements on both sides are the greatest
per mile of line.

Meanwhile the more than a million Germans in Belgium have trenched
across the whole country, rebuilt the forts at Namur, Liege, Antwerp,
and other places, and are digging themselves into the ground doggedly
and determinedly, and with as great precision and more science than the
Allies. The German trenches are rather better made and the machinery
for trenching has been, of course, better prepared by the Germans.

The great surprise of the war was the demonstration in Belgium that
forts costing millions, in defense of cities, are absolutely useless
against the big German shells. The defense at Liege was prolonged
because the Germans could not at first find the exact location of the
central defense. Finally a German approached bearing a large white
flag of truce. Belgian orders were given to receive him. The German,
under his flag of truce, signalled the desired information and then
fell. Soon after, fell the fort. The Germans had found the desired
range, and shot. At Antwerp a single shell was able to put an entire
fortress out of business.

It is the Landwehr and the older men that have been called by Germany
to do duty in Belgium, while the younger troops are sent back and forth
between the eastern and western frontier defences.

An American who has lately been all through Belgium, representing both
commercial interests and charity work, tells me;--

"I left America absolutely neutral. I was not a student of the war or
of the cause of the war. What I saw in Belgium convinced me that