Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-23

queens the question of Holland 5
v;s;4 neutrality and the Dutch
defense scheme" which was
the subject of discussion In the French
chamber of deputies January Ii. 1911
NJ. Pierre Long. French writer of note.
treats the question OF Hollands exterior
policy in an article in the Questions Dip
lomafi1ues ct Coloniales. NJ Long sum
marizes his subject under the following
heads: Defiance the basis Of Hollando-
German relations: Germany's dilemma
Holland German confederated state or
to be deprived of the waters OF the
Rhine. the Flushing question: Holland
and Germany: France and England me
principle of Hollands policy i absolute
neutrality.
The Importance of the visit Of NJ Fail
Heres to Holland was obscured largely IN
france by the visit OF the Panther 10
Asadir But on the contrary the affair
at Agadfr awakened in Holland the most
acute fear for Holland territorial in
ieeflty. The events that succeeded have
augmented Hollands sympathies for the
triple entente. which may defend her from
Inc aggression with which she is menaccd
holland has been classed as German in
tehdency because the great majority of
the Netherland peoples belong To IN. Cor
are closely connected with their German
neighbors- But Holland IL an exception
10 race rules that certainly govern i'm
other cases. Why We may not answer
ansoiuteiy: 1T is true Holland was first
inhabited by the Batavians hut il is also
true these We're conquered hy the Ro-
mans. then the Franks, Charlemaena
Philippe lie Bon due de Rourgogne then
by Austria, Spain. then as the republic of
the United Provinces under the stathol-
lon M ..f fN.A,.
rival of both England and France in the
seventeenth century. Conquered by
France. Holland formed the republic of
batavia in 10. and the kingdom of Hol-
land in 1906. being annexed to the French
empire in 1910. In 1919 Holland and Bel
GUM were united in a single state. but
separated in 1880. Is ii not this process
of change which has created in the Hol-
lander a national spirit apart from the
race spirit?
The German press has doubtless con-
tributed large part to the anti-Ger-
mania sentiment that
Anti-German pervades Holland 1t dis
c4:4 plays a lack of tact in re-
ferring to the people of
this little nation as interiors" thus
woundng their national pride. Nothing is
more offensive to this people than the
very general designation of 'our little
brother applied by the German to the
Hollander. The Hollander Is tenacious.
stubborn and contradictory, and 1t will
not appear singular. therefore. that the
distrust which exists between him and
his German neighbor Is real and impiaca-
BILE.
Besides, the German insists that Rotter-
dam exists only by reason of German
traffic. Also from time to time the Hol-
land navigation companies are confronted
by the threat to cut off the communica-
tons of emigrantS seeking Holland ports.
The Prussian government closes its
frontiers to Russian emigrants bound for
America or returning via Hollands ports
and the trick is accomplished. To this
question Of barring emigrants that of the
tax upon navigation OF the RnIne Is al
ways pending.
Holland, jealous of her rights, ressts
these infractions with tenacity and anger.
The discussions continue and augment the
i'll feeling. but Berlin appears oblivious of
the evaporation engendered in the little
nation on the confines of the empire.
German engineer, Herr Groh.
functionary of the German state, has
recently published a pamphlet at Berlin
entitled, Holland Deufscher Bundestaat"
which has aroused all Holland to the
highest state of indignation and anger.
Herr Groh tells the Hollander that the
mouths OF the Rhine are, in the actual
condition of affairs, the gift of Germany.
He writes:
What with the representations and
suggestions there is simply nothing more
to be done. The states
German general uhe Holland parlia-
-, menD has always shown
AAA0dt' opposition TO us as all the
little states of German origin. 1t is al
ways the old refrain OF the hostile broth
ers.' There is only one remedy, the
state that our dear friends and faithful
neighbors represent her to be-"
Herr Groh proposes the technical
of Holland by the confiscation
of the Rim. canal improvised lit
tie below the Vessel would turn the Rhlne
into the Ems below Lingen. Also the
Issel, the IA, the Berkel and the Nechle
could be prevented from wandering into
foreign territory. Like the Rhine, all these
rivers, according to Herr Groh. are Ger
man, and not one river, not drop OF
water, should be allowed to go to the sea
without having served the German
The Rhine, says the author, Is Of vital
interest to Holland, and after all 1t is
a question for Germany to decide whether
she will abandon finally her Rhine COM
pletely No power in the world could pre-
vent Germany from turning this river ana
it's mouths into German territory and INTO
a. German sea. mo treaty., says Herr
Groh, could remain in force which
would oblige us to surrender our Rnlne
to Messieurs les Hollandais. And tpe
author refers to the period when treaties
were made concerning the navigation ana
irrigation of the rivers. Germany might
have simply turned the rivers into Ger
MANY and thus the question would have
been settled once for all.
1t is to be assumed from the authors
argument that mountains as well as riv-
ers may one day be taken up and re-
moved, even though there may be ques-
ton of treaties which recognize their fix
ture in a certain place. The treaty is
nothing" triumphal technique. 1t Is as
sumed. has replaced the old-fashioned
question of international honor.
But Herr Groh would punish Holland
for daring to brave the wrath of Ger
many. He would reduce Holland to
marshes. and he arrives at TINS ultl-
matum with GOODNESS that chllls:
I'm Holland the water courses are not
navigable routes, but serve as drainage
to lowlands These would become
marshes as soon as the running waters
failed. The regime Of the waters of Hol-
land therefore depends entirely upon
Germany Nearly all OF the activity OF
the Netherland people is governed by
water And since today the destiny OF
peoples is decided more and more by
their economical interests IT is clear that
as the possessors of the hyorauilc ecoile
mics of Holland Germany should act Ell
fectiyely upon the future OF the states
general. Germanys vital interest Al
present exacts imperiously the utlilzatlon
of advantages which nature has parsiino-
niously awarded her without any parucu