Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-17
REUNION OF HOLLAND And BELGIUM

In 1915 Holland and Belgium were united
| In single state; in 1880. by reason of re-
/ ligious dissensions and COM
were Once mercial rivalries. they sep
| United. arated The treaty Of Lon
don November 15, 1881. de-
clared Belgium a neutral state. the neutral
fty being guaranteed by Austria, Prussia,
Russia and Great Britain.
The question of the reunion Of these
! states which is actually occupying a prom
inent place in European political circles. Is
not new, but has been constantly in the
| minds Of politicians and patriots on both
| sides of the frontiers of the separated states
| Tor three-fourths of century. Lebeau de-
| clared in the Belgium chamber about the
time of the revolution. that POLITICALLY and
| commercially the inevitable and real destiny
OF Belgium the real interests of her policy
| commanded rapproachement from day to
| day with Holland
The war of 1870 created great fear and
alarm IN Doth countries because of the evo-
| tuition OF the German empire with its new
porn ambitions, and so likewise the con-
ference at Algeciras. which might decide
the destiny of any small state that found
! iSelf In the pathway of a colossus
M. Eugene Bale, in La Revue of January
! 10, I9O6. has treated the subject under the
tltie or L Union Hollando-Belge" with the
| Interior object of provoking an interparlia-
excited, not only In Holland and Belgium,
out elsewhere. 1t appears that this object
n may De attained. M. Bale says: THE dis
quleting risks Of the policy OF great powers
snouid induce Holland and Belgium to find
refuge from tina dread unknown that sleeps
| IN the future, that is to say first. to consti-
| tute by groupment of material interests
| an linuenGe capable of resisting the COM
Hercial poHcy OF great powers, which tend
| more ana more to bend to their profit the
Tree action of the laws of value and compe-
titlon In the second place. to prepare guar
| antees OF security by undivided orga MIA ion
| of the defensive system of Holland ana ReI.
gum connected at least at two points at
the limits Of L.mbourg and at the mouth Of
the Escaut. Va
Both governments are well aware Of the
incalculable benefits which would accrue
Dy the combination of their mutual re-.
| sources and by the development of their
e ,,,sn ,,s IRE; Both governments like
wise understand that in furnishing appro-
pirate solutions to the problems of an
economical and strategical character HoI-
| iand and Belgium solve their own destiny:
also tnat OF other small states which have
acquired the right to existence bv Ione
past or suffering and sacrifices and whose
apprehensions of the future are like their
own as attested by the recent manifesto
'''h OF alarm by Bjornsterne Bjornson."
III other words. 1t is a question of eco
honlical cooperation based upon a mutual
system of interstate Gus
toms on the one hand and
question. on the other by Hollando-
Belgian alliance of a de-
fensive character. with the object of the
maintenance of the independence of the
two countries
1t is maintained by the opponents of the
PROJECT tnat the idea of such an alliance ia
opposed by the difference in the economical
pollcy OF the countries, Holland being a free
ira s and Belgium protectionist. But
NAV ha ges,a ne h supreme this obstacle
aDliity OF unification Of tariffs
Inc discussion of the question of the
mliitary alliance has been preceded by the
E Ea zta o.. OF committee composed of par
reunions are actually held every week at
Breda, In which Holland and Belgian Of
hcers participate.
AT recent meeting Of the committee tho
question of the neutrality of Belgium was
discussed by the Holland officers. who ga w
IN 1t a possible barrier to alliance The
d,as, on the other hand thought the
dimculty might be parted by Concerted
action on the part of the general star ~
both armies: for example, in case Of an in
vader besieging Antwerp and utilizing to
that enc the territory Of Neerland. !.
But Belgium's neutrality should not ibe
CONSIDERED an insuperable obstacle Here
tofore 1t has been the privilege alone OF in.
ternational conventions to grant the stu
a abs no OF neutrality to state guaranteed by
tne powers establishing It. Neutrality as
sures to the state the pacific relations OF
that state and limits its military opera
lions to defense. Under the present cir
. .ustances ~ IS doubtful If an interna-
tionai convention could be convened for the
purpose of entertaining Hollands demand.
even should Holland be SO inclined There
Is nothing. however. to prevent the council
60 az nt e. a.. rom taxing action to submit the
case 10 the conference at The Hague.
M Bale, in developing the question Of
industry and commerce from the Holland
Belgium point OF view, de-
SoiiiniefcAaA ciares that these interests
Interests. are imperious and demand
that Holland and Belgium
take speedy action in defense of their COM
mon interests menaced by the great pow
ers. He cites in proof the speech of Lord
Lansdowne on the oath Of November 1906
at Liverpool. in which the latter affirmed
that whatever the result of their fiscal
policy, the foreign office would in the future
rely less upon the clause of the most ia
Vored nation than upon exclusive formal and
bilateral conventions. And the idea of
the author may be understood more clearly
perhaps by the cable of the 14th instant
from London, which said that "Sir Edward
Grey. when asked whether the government
would take steps to insure that any tariff
arrangement between Germany and the
to British trade, replied that should such
arrangement be concluded Great Britain
would enter into such combination as might
be required, meaning that Great Britain
would, Lord Lansdowne had announced
seek compensation by exclusive and bilat-
eral conventions
Holland according to NJ. Bale is pressed
by series of imperious necessities to get
out Of her isolation, in which she is con-
fined on the one side by the German customs
union. the Zollverein, on the other by the
Belgian protectionist regime. The growing
traffic Of Germany causes her to feel more
and more the want of a port in the North
sea. The incorporation of Holland in the
Zollverein would undoubtedly procure for
her indisputable commercial advantages
but would lead indubitably to the loss OF
her political sovereignty. as in the case of
Bavaria and Saxony. But, still worse, HoI-
land would have to share her part Of the
crushing responsibilities of the imperial
policy. which looks upon all questions as
subordinate to its vast designs. On the
contrary. the close cooperation Of Holland
and Belgium interests would rest upon re-
ciprocal concessions. without engaging the
least remuneration Of their distinct person
alities united by like execration Of barbaric
force. What q situation for Belgium should
Holland. in spite Of her repugnance and
scruples. link her fortunes with Germany!