Since the opening of the Peace Congress at Versailles continuous war in Europe has been seen:  Russians against the whole world, Czechs against Hungarians, Roumanians against Hungarians, Poles against Ukrainians, Southern Slavs against Germans, Communists against Socialists.  Three-fourths of Europe is turned into a witch’s cauldron where everything is concocted except work and production, and it is futile to ask how this self-lacerated Europe will be able to find the war expenses laid upon her.  According to human reckoning, the conquerors cannot extract even approximate compensation for their losses from the defeated states, and their victory will terminate with a considerable deficit.  If that be the case, then my visitor will be right—­there will only be the vanquished.

If our plan in 1917, namely, Germany to cede Alsace-Lorraine to France in exchange for the annexation of all Poland, together with Galicia, and all states to disarm; if that plan had been accepted in Berlin and sanctioned by the Entente—­unless the non possumus in Berlin and opposition in Rome to a change in the Pact of London had hindered any action—­it seems to me the advantage would not only have been on the side of the Central Powers.

Pyrrhus also conquered at Asculum.

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My visitor was astonished at Vienna.  The psychology of no city that he had seen during the war could compare with that of Vienna.  An amazing apathy prevailed.  In Paris there was a passionate demand for Alsace-Lorraine; in Berlin the contrary was demanded just as eagerly; in England the destruction of Germany was the objective; in Sofia the conquest of the Dobrudsha; in Rome they clamoured for all possible and impossible things; in Vienna nothing at all was demanded.  In Cracow they called for a Great Poland; in Budapest for an unmolested Hungary; in Prague for a united Czech State; and in Innsbruck the descendants of Andreas Hofer were fighting as they did in his day for their sacred land, Tyrol.  In Vienna they asked only for peace and quiet.

Old men and children would fight the arch-enemy in Tyrol, but if the Italians were to enter Vienna and bring bread with them they would be received with shouts of enthusiasm.  And yet Berlin and Innsbruck were just as hungry as Vienna. C’est une ville sans ame.

My visitor compared the Viennese to a pretty, gay, and frivolous woman, whose aim in life is pleasure and only pleasure.  She must dance, sing, and enjoy life, and will do so under any circumstances—­sans ame.

This pleasure-loving good nature of the Viennese has its admirable points.  For instance, all enemy aliens were better treated in Vienna than anywhere else.  Not the slightest trace of enmity was shown to those who were the first to attack and then starve the city.