Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-05
is HOLLAND In TRIPLE ALLIANCE?

Scarcely had the discourse of NJ Pichon,
the French minister of foreign anairs,
reduced to proper proper
The Forts at tions the dsquictng ru-
- =. mors concerning the in
flushing. tervicw at Potsdam, when
the same minister is asked TO explain
his views on the question of the fortitca-
ton of Flushing This subject was by
no means an fnoffensive one in Deem
ber but within a month it has grown
apace.
NJ. Pichon, in concluding his remarks I'm
the chamber of deputies January JIG. on
what is known as the Dutch defense
scheme said:
''Op!Eions in Holland are very much
divided, and it is possible that the project
will. not be maintained in any case.
can only acquicsce in NJ. Delafosse's sug-
gestion and in the view that a project of
this kind entails conversations between
the various powers which arc called upon
to guarantee the neutrality of Belgium.
These arc quite amicahIe conversations.
which can nowhere he misinterpreted
and in which l will willingly concur"
Under the heading of The Indepeud-
ence Of the Netherlands. the virtually
official Cologne Gazette published Janu-
airy Is the following semi-ofiicial telegram
from Berlin:
THE statement made by NJ Pichon.
that it seems lifting, If the question of
the fortifcation of Flushing should seri-
ously arise, to enter into discussion with
the powers concerned, will certainly be a
subject of public comment iii more re-
spects than one The announcement, to
say the least. is striking. SO far as the
German government Is concerned it claims
no right of interference for itself in the
question of the fortiicaton of Flushing.
1t is difficult 10 understand how 1t Is pro-
posed to forbid country whose internal
tional status subjects it to no restrictive
conditions of neutrality TO take such
measures OF defense as seem to it appro-
pirate on its own soil. We conceive that
Germany will not lend a hand to cur
tailment of the sovereign rights of the
Netherlands, such as might be deduced
from NJ Pichon's words
At Brussels the note in the Cologne Ga
zette has created stir. The Tijd of The
Hague declares that the
Belgium Flushing controversy re-
A.: calls the long-stand:ng
struggle between France
and England on the one hand and Ger
many on the other, and foresees diplo-
matte complications.
From other sources at The Hague we
arc informed that there is no withdrawal
Of the coast defense bill by the minister
of war. NJ. Coiya But on the other hand
Commandant de Thomasson, in an article
in the Questions Diplomatiques ct
Colonial, writes that the Holland min
lister of war, Gen. Cool" whom we as
sumo TO be the same referred to as NJ.
Colya, had been placed in minority on
some unimportant question and that Gen.
cool had resigned.
Gen. Cool was the author OF the project
to fortify Flushing, and it is thought that
The Hague parliament By the overthrow
Of the minister Of war on d side issue had
disposed of a factor In an issue which has
provoked intense interest and excitement
throughout Holland as we'll as in Belgium,
France and England.
Flushing now threatens to become a
very serious point of interest for the
powers Of Europe. especially the sigma
torres of the treaty of 1S39-that is. Eng
land, Austria, Belgium, France, Holland,
Prussia and Russia The Independence
Beige writes: The fortification of
Flushing can only serve the interests of
Germany, whose zeal in the premises
should be feared alike by the Neither
lands and by Belgium"
Flushing. it should be said, is termed the
military port of Holland. situated in the
island of Walcleren, at the mouth of the
ocheldt and contains a population OF
5000 or more.
1t is recalled that in 1909 it was the sole
point of success Of the great English eN-
petition organized against Antwerp in
that year, and which was defeated by
Bernadotte. The English besieged Flush
ing during seventeen days. Since CEN
fury Flushing has been forgotten and its
Notifications were demolished in 1866.
Flushing, for a fact, is completely out
side the lines of defense which the Hol-
land government has
| Defense adopted. The plan of de-
coL Tense has been until now
eoAss' to circumscribe the de-
| Tense to the cities of The Hague, Amstcr-
| dam, Rotterdam and Utrecht, where new
| Notifications were established. Those on
the sea were destined to repel an attack OF
an English fleet; those on the south and
| east were to stop the aggression of Ger
man armies. 1t is that equilibrium which,
| the project to fortify Flushing would
manifestly break down.
The object OF the fertilization of Flush
| ing is actually to block a British move
ment in defense of Belgium. Did the
| English propose to attack Amsterdam
| they would not think of debarking al
FluSn1nS, winch WOuiQ ODf1Se tnelf cross
| ing the whole of south Holland and thus
| be confronted by the foundations of Linge
| and Wahal, the south branch of the
| Rhine. The British would undoubtedly
| attempt a debarkment farther north.
Holland maintains that IL Germany vio-
| lates Belgian territory, England must 20
| to Belgium's aid to preserve the violated
| neutrality which England was bound to
defend. Holland should fulfill her duty
| of neutrality toward the two adverse ries,
| Germany and England. Holland should
| oppose by all means possible the entry
of hostile fleet into the Scheldt.
| Holland incurs the risk, says Command
ant Thomasson, III case of an Anglo
| German conflict of being invaded by
| England at the mouth of the Scheldt and
| by Germany at Limbours. Ii the Hoi-
| landers fortified Flushing against the
| English they should also fortify Macs
| tricht against the Germans.
| In the present situation is Holland act
| ing in sympathy with Germany because
| of the fear that if an English fleet APP
peared before the Island of Walcheren.
| Germany would occupy the whole of east
| ern Holland?
| The Contemporary Review for January
contains in the chronique of DR.. Dillon
a reference to Sir Harry Johnston under
the caption of 1.-The Price of an Anglo
German Understanding
| DR.. Dillon has not much opinion OF Sir
Harry's political discoveries in Germany,
| saying: There is no chance. thinks Sir
| Harry, of an understanding with Ger
many unless Great Britain is ready to
pay for it. Great Britain must enter
into a compact by which she will recog-
nize Germany as the protectress or the
predominant partner of the Netherlands.
together with all the oversee possessions