The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-13

man control Of the Low Countries prom
ises fatal results. For England it brings
the ever terrifying army OF invasion al
most within sight Of British shores. Not
from Hamburg and Bremen and across
the turbulent German Ocean. but from
Antwerp. Rotterdam. Flushing aBd Os-
tend this invasion could then set forth
For France. German armies On the
open frontier from sedan TO Dunkirk
would mean he turning and elimination
of that marvellous line Of defence France
has patiently erected from Belfort to
IonGwv on her eastern frontier. II
would open the road To Pans over the
open plains n ArtOis and Picardv
However fanciful and absurd the
declaration that Germany's ambition
cOntemplatss aggression in the Neither
lands may seem to Americans. il il not
held Incredible in England or France
On the contrary. British observers are
agreed that the German Kaiser has al
ready warned the Dutch Government Of
it, duty 10 be prepared TO defend itself
against England Equally positive are
the French that from the same source
has come a warning to Belgium that
circumstances may compel 0ernaaDy's
armies to cross Belgian territory. but no
permanent menace 20 Belgian independ-
ence will be included in such invasion
Only the other day British newspapers
solemnly discussed the discovery OF vast
railroad terminals in obscure German
villages on the Belgian frontier. Were
they not. IL was asked. a Development Of
the plan for German invasion. the tenn
porary hating place az the machinery
for mobilization
Between Europe and the German
domination there are to-day bat two
real obstacles. the Frenuh army and the
British feet But the defeat Of one may
eliminate the other. a. Austevlitz over
bore Trafalgar For numerically the
French army IL no longer equal TO the
German. Behind the fortified slopes in
the valley OF the upper Msuss il nigh,
easily maintain itself. but attacked
along the open frontier between the
Sambrs and the Scheldt IT, chances
would be greatly lessencd
The only answer TO the problem thus
presented. the answer Of Captain
BATTISE and Of all other French and
Brit ish writers. ~ contained ia the
demand for a British army Instantly
available for foreign service Not less
than 3OO 900 il Captain BATTINEs esii-
mate Such a force acting on the flank
Of a German force proceeding from
La9e to Namur and thence into France
might detsch enough army corps 20
restore the balance bet ween French and
German battalions. II might prove an
adequate promise Of support to Belgium
and Holland To insure their mObiliza-
ton. otherwise more than doubtful
Failing this British army. however. Ger
man success seems hardly doubtful
Perhaps there - nothing stranger in
the present debate than the fashion in
which the Low CountNe- now in the
twentieth century resume the place in
the European situation they held from
the accession Of LOUIS XIV. to the fall
Of NAPOLEON TO be sure. they are now
a barrier against German. not French.
ambition. bat m all else the situation -
the same antwerp u a pistol pointed
at the heart of England NAPOLEON
said. and while Antwerp was French
England would make no peace with
NAPOLEON The pistol in German hand
seems no less dangerous TO the British
mind
Prom the treaty Of We~tphsl,a TO hat
az Vienna the Low Countries PLAYED the
unhappy part OF the cockpit of Europe |
Always. however. IN these struggles |
there Was . British army available for
service here. the army which under
MARLBOROUGH and again under WILL
INGTON deCisIvely defeated French dom
nation in Europe TODAY IN u similar
situation the British army - lacking
n;il q y, supplied moreover intelli-
gent Frsnch and British observers alike
agree that there can he NJ safety OF
security for either nation NInety-five
wears have pa..,ed since P7L-sIan. Brit
I~h and French armies fought On Bel
gan TERRITORY and now II seems that
they may fight again. but IN n new align
msnt that p~rfs-tlv reveals the change
that has occurred in Europe since the
batt ls-- ~ IAgnv and Waterloo