1
Since earliest childhood I have been strangely fascinated by the
mystery surrounding the history of the last days of twentieth century
Europe. My interest is keenest, perhaps, not so much in relation to
known facts as to speculation upon the unknowable of the two centuries
that have rolled by since human intercourse between the Western and
Eastern Hemispheres ceased--the mystery of Europe\'s state following the
termination of the Great War--provided, of course, that the war had been
terminated.
From out of the meagerness of our censored histories we learned that
for fifteen years after the cessation of diplomatic relations between the
United States of North America and the belligerent nations of the Old
World, news of more or less doubtful authenticity filtered, from time to
time, into the Western Hemisphere from the Eastern.