Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1911-04-14
HOLLAND PAWN
IN GREAT GAME
/ OF STRATEG|SM
Proposal to Fortify Coast
Brings on Great Row
in Europe.

oG1eAl4N l0pOCAdAJ -4AOAAoANS sAO
most inoffensdve country in Europe,
has become the latest pawn in the
game of international politics.
1t all came about in this way: The
Netherlands proposed to spend $15,-
5000 to fortify Flushing, The Scheldt
and the North Sea coast. No doubt
the entira seaboard is inadequately pro-
tected Ind in the case of no other
country would there have been any OBJ
lection raised to the program.
But, in this instance a tremendous
row was created. And as is the rule
in international political questions in
the world today, Germany and Eng
land were the powers chiefly involved.
Holland is Germany's natural out
let to the sea. It's coasts are difficult
OF approach on account of the sand
banks which interfere with deep
draught navigation. No warships can
approach them except by way of the
main harbors.
But possession of this coast would
enormously benefit German commerce.
In time of war with Germany, Eng
land would try to land on Dutch soil.
Unfortifed, there could be little resist
ance.
Then a land force could readily
make a dash against Germany, at the
same time remaining comparatively
near it's base-and safely at sea. But
with fortified coast the enterprise
would be exceedingly difficult.
Naturally, when the Dutch plan
leaked out, it was instantly suspected
in London and Paris that Holland
had entered into a secret treaty with
Germany.
Color was lent to these suspicious
by the fact that the Notifications
could not possibly be of any value ex-
cept against England.
Apart from this, it was clear that
the fertilization of the Dutch coast
must infringe Belgium's neutrality,
which the powers guaranteed by the
treaty of 1889.
That is to say. inasmuch as the
River Scheldt commands approach to
Antwerp, Belgium would be involved
in the unpleasantness the moment
Holland closed the stream to naviga-
ton.
Not wishing to be drawn into any
European conflict, Belgium has there
fore been protesting vigorously
against being imperilled.
Ac 81 % 80 g..
doubt that, even though the kaiser
has made no definite arrangement
with the Dutch to fortify their coast,
he would be willing to make any Of
fer in reason to get them to do so.
In any event, in time of war, he
would probably seize the country with
out conjunction.
There is little question that Eng
lish and French statesmen think, too,
that the fertilization program, if car
ried out, will make Holland even more
tempting to Germany than at the
present time.
All sorts of assurances have of
course been given from Berlin to The
Hague that Dutch independence will
be respected. But even here there is
a good deal of cynical wondering
remembering the recent Bosnia
Herzegovina grab by Germany's ally,
Austria-how much dependence is to
be placed upon such promises.
Is the kaiser likely, Germans ask,
to resist any temptation of achieving
his ambition for long line of sea-
board? It is generally agreed here
that, now the Dutch have shown signs
Of yielding to Germany, the days Of
its independence are numbered.
Many Dutchmen, too, are afraid of
this, as they have said openly in the
parliamentary debates on the subject
at The Hague. It was this party
which, while Queen Wilhelmina re-
NAMED childless, was in mortal terror
lest the crown should pass, on her
death, to German prince and which
swore it would rather transform the
country into a republic than be ruled
by German.
At any rate, Holland has had the
satisfaction of knowing that, for the
past few weeks, it has attracted more
attention in Europe than at any other
time since the seventeenth century.