The author in speaking of the architecture of Belgium has his doubts as to how much of it will escape the devastation of the European War. “But in any case the first sequel of peace in Belgium must be rebuilding. It will be fortunate then,” the author says, “that in consequence of the building fever of recent years the country is equipped beyond the ordinary needs of its size with architects, builders, trained workmen, and experience, which may enable its ruined towns to rise purified and beautified from their ashes.” This statement may be true if the architects, builders, trained workmen and other workers have not been killed in battle. The devastation of Belgium, alone is argument enough for the rest of the world to quit the foolishness of war. =An Open Letter to the Nation with Regard to a Peace Plan.= By JAMES HOWARD KEHLER, New York: Mitchell Kennerley. 1915, pp 25. The letter in this neat little volume is addressed to The President, The Ministers of Government and The Congress of the United States: To the Members of the Peace Societies: To the Press and to the People: There is a lot of good common sense in this letter. For example, in the opening of the letter the author asks that the name of the War Department be changed to that of the Peace Department, and that its Ministers hereafter be known as Secretaries of Peace, and that what are known as War Policies hereafter may be known as Peace Policies. He shows that in reality the Secretary of War is really a secretary of Peace, and that his primary office is not to make war, but to avert it, and the degree of his prestige is in direct ratio to his success in preserving the peace and tranquility of our people, and that our war budgets are in fact peace budgets, etc. Of course, we know that the Secretary of War does not have a thing to do with the diplomatic correspondence that arranges for a war, but nevertheless the idea of giving significance to the symbolism of the names of the offices and their ministers has considerable value. =The Socialists and the War.= By WILLIAM ENGLISH WALLING, author of “Socialism As It Is,” “Progressivism and After,” etc., etc. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 1915. 512 pp. $1.50 net. The author here presents a documentary statement of the position of the Socialists of all countries; with special reference to their peace policies, and includes a summary of the Revolutionary state Socialist measures adopted by the Governments at war. The editor of this work is a well known writer on Socialism, being the author of “Socialism As It Is,” “Progressivism and After,” and other books along this line, of which it may be said that this is his best effort. About three fourths of the book consists of documentary statements of Socialists of all countries toward the war, and the running editorial comments set forth vividly the conditions under which the various statements were made with an indication of why they are important.