Evening star., 1912-09-29

cal situation. The English should employ
the advantage to counteract the German
prestige in Holland and cause this very
Independent but very prudent nation to
reflect
The interests. and above all the COM
mercial interests of the Holland.t-
ohlige them to play politics as with -
very delicate pair of scales. But NJ. LonG
believes that the Hollanders should per-
init their friends TO aver frankly that to-
day the balance inclines too much TO one
side. to the German side. in many WAYS
Netherlands statesmen who have charge
of the defenses of their country would
demonstrate their wisdom If they would
examine carefully the situation in all its
bearings, and thus avoid Improbable and
disagreeable dissensions
The violation of Belgian neutrality
viewed as an almost certain eventuality
in case OF war as affirm
Belglum'S ed recently In the pan
Neutrality. Germans Germanist congress ,.,, at
writer. NJ. Landrecies. to publish an ar
ticle in the Questions Diplomatiques IT
Coloniales' on the attitude Of Belgium in
case of violation of her neutrality by
Germany.
The author does not express an opinion
as to the effect Of such violation Of Bel
gian neutrality upon the destiny of Bel
GUMS neighbor. the Netherlands The
subject is full of thorns. manifestly. and
besides, Is outside of the outline OF his
article. Nevertheless. the destiny of Bel
gium and Holland is one and inseparable
and German success. We may remark.
would mean the absorption of both Bel
gium and Holland.
1t is only necessary to cite this writer
to show what to every military man Is
apparent. that Liege is the key to the
door of the direct road from Berlin tn
Paris. Maubengo. La Fire. Laon and
SoissOns are simple BARRIERS insufficient
because Od-fashioned, and useful only in
delaying by a few hours the avalanche Of
invasion which Germany will pour over
them Is Belgium in defense Of her neu-
trality capable alone of defending Iiege?
Belgium should be able to arrest or delay
the march of the invader The number Of
her troops Is insufficient. Belgium's plan
of defense provides for an army of mtw
distributed as follows: Antwerp. a garri-
son of 10000: Namur. 10000: Liege :.0oDO.
France. more directly interested in the
maintenance Of Belgian neutrality. would
provide for the expected German inva-
sion by preparation for prompt action
which would permit her to support tie
Belgian defense To that end the write
suggests that France should have Il un-
derstood al Brussels that following notice
of the German violation of territory
France would have in a certain position
a certain number of French troops, 10
say nothing of English troops to aid Be-
gium In the defense Of her neutrality The
writer complains that Belgium has no;
provided for the defense of her independ-
fense. and writes:
This nation Of nearly eight millions.
with an annual commerce of seven mil
liards. debt relatively light budget
OF hve hundred millions, an army i'm time
of peace of 43,GD men, and in time of
war total of 10000. has not sufficiently
provided for the defense of he independ-
ence.
hensible; the inertia of nations is astound-
ing. But it is not only Belgium which
Is Interested in this prospective German
invasion; ii involves the life of Holland.
England and France alike.
4
AS sequel to the articles of NJ. Pierre
Long and NJ. Landrecies. whom We hcve
cited. another writer. who
Dutch signs himself Cornelius"
w.. takes up the subject of
'e"' Hol and's international
policy under the title of Hollands Point
of View"
This latter author Cornelius is Hol-
lander and undoubtedly represents Hol-
lands point of view. He has no senti-
the point of view of Hollands interests
Holland, he says. should stand in with
the stronger of the participants in the
coming conflict Just how Holland is
going to decide that problem Cornelius
does not say.
There is something cynical-even heart
less-in the first lines of his article. lie
writes:
Naturally this point of view-and we
hope that no one will be surprised nor
offended beyond our borders-is directed
only toward Hollands interests. absolute
ly as the French and the Belgians to-
ward their respective interests, and very
justly. Notwithstanding their oratorical
professions. ETC..
NJ. Cornelius remarks as side observa-
ton that the defense of Hollands 3 terrt-.
tory has no direct relation feogra phical-
ly with the events which may pass upon
other theaterS. however near. These the
aters are in effect clearly separated by
the nature of the field of action.
This authors argument is defective for
several reasons. but especially he leaves
out the one which dominates all others al
Berlin-namely, that the German Rhine
runs through Holland 20 the North sea
at Rotterdam, to the Zeiderzee at Am
sterdam The author, for reasons which
he alone may give. but does not would
place Holland in a fools paradise
If France. the author adds and for a
greater reason England. are with Bel
Siun. the latter has
International no need of HOLLANDS
Complexity. a,a ma,,ss on r. The n.,n,1s middle i
alone against Germany, her forces could
not resist invasion. Belgium abandoned
to herself should shut herself up in Ant
werp, while Holland might defend herself
from river to river from canal to canal,
from polder to polder. inundatng in time
the approaches to Hollands national re-
treat at Amsterdam
This author concludes that Holland has
special defense in this sort of warfare,
for which the Hollander has a special
aptitude. 1T is only i'm the forts of
he writes in the locks
and dams they command on the fianks of
inundatlons well studied that the forts
protect. that Holland is in state to de-
fend herself resolutely There certainly
If God wishes il Holland viii show her
self worthy of her history But if she
should remain alone TO face the inva SION
which God forbid. matter what valor
on that score, her days of independence
viii be counted
Hollands point of view, therefore is to
shut herself up in Amsterdam-in the
same spirit the ostrich which hides its
head in the sand on the approach of dam
ger. Holland would preserve her royal
mouse and independence by isolation
trusting that inundation may save her
from the force and fury of he German