Nov. 22.
On this their national day Belgian Shanghailanders receive the cordial good wishes of their fellow-residents here, whether foreign or Chinese. While European affairs occupy so much of the world's attention and anxiety it is sometimes forgotten how. great is the contribution made. by Belgium to the efforts in search of stability. In the very. centre of the terrific upheaval on the consequences of which the nations still ponder to-day, the little kingdom has faced the difficulties of reconstruction and recovery with unfaltering courage. Her genius for friendship has shown itself no Jess in loyalty to her comrades in war than in dignified conciliatoriness towards neighbours with whom new relations of amity have been established. That, in her years of supreme crisis, Belgium was able to trust in the leadership of a great King and a fine gentleman has been no small satisfaction to her people and no slight, source of confidence in Europe itself. The troubles and trials—economic and political—which,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.