It was resistance of this nature which the Germans had to overcome in order to capture Lodz. Later in December it became clear that Russia was getting her millions into the field and that the strategy of the commander-in-chief, the Grand Duke Nicholas, would soon be aided by the weight of overwhelming numbers. BELGIUM THANKS AMERICA During November and December Madame Vandervelde, wife of a member of the Belgian cabinet, toured the United States soliciting aid for her suffering fellow-countrymen. The response everywhere was extremely generous and in appreciation of the aid given the war victims of her country Madame Vandervelde penned the following poem, entitled "Belgium Thanks America:" But still we tell the story which once we loved to tell. "Good will! Good will!" we read it, and "Peace!"--we hear the name, And crouch among the ruins, and watch the cruel flame, And hear the children crying, and turn our eyes away-- For them there's neither bread nor home this happy Christmas day. But look! there comes a message from far across the deep, From hearts that still can pity and eyes that still can weep-- O little lips a-hunger! O faces pale and wan! There's somewhere--somewhere--peace on earth, somewhere good will to man, Across the waste of waters, a thousand leagues away, There's some one still remembers that here it's Christmas day. 0 God of Peace, remember, and in thy mercy keep The hearts that still can pity, the eyes that still can weep, Amid the shame and torment, the ruins and the graves, To theirs, the land of freedom, from ours, the land of slaves, What answer can we send them? We can but kneel and pray: God grant--God grant to them, at least, a happy Christmas day. GRIM REALITIES OF THE WAR A vivid picture of the horrible realities of the war, as seen in a field hospital near the firing line, was given in "The New Republic" of November 28 by Mr. Henry W. Nevinson, who described his experiences at Dixmude in Belgium as follows: "When I entered Dixmude one night in the middle of October the first bombardment was over, but from both sides the heavy shells flew across the town. From the end of the main street came an incessant noise of rifles and machine guns. Unaimed bullets wailed through the air, and pattered as they struck the walls. Flaming houses shed a light upon the ruined streets, but only one house looked inhabited, and all the others which were not burning stood silent and empty, expecting destruction.