Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-08-13
BELGIUM, HOLLAND
AND LUXEMBOURG
ARE BUFFER STATES
Like Lambs among Wolves dur
ing Jealous European Strug-
gle-Germany Wants
Dutch Port.

n DuiIer IN general parlancc is any
cushion-like article which takes away
the force of q blow. In hallway carriages
II Is apparatus ut the ends which when
driven In springs out again and so pre-
vents injury to the carriages IL they
come In contact
The buffer states of Europe are small
stretches of territory, insignificant in i'm
portance when compared to the dominions
under the sovereignty Of the great
powers, If one counts wealth and popula-
ton, but which protect these sovereigns
from too close contact with one another,
the close contact which brings war and
with It death and destruction. And they.
the buffer states, are Of priceless value
in containing within their narrow
boundaries the magician's keys to un-
lock the treasures of conquest In Europe
which the kings so eagerly desire, the
magician's keys to the paradise OF uni
versal power
The buffer states have been allowed to
exist in their insgnincance, helpless lit
tie lambs sleeping peacefully by the side
Of the rapacious wolves, because each
wolf wanted-and still wants-to eat them
up. What is prey for all is allowed to
none. The wolves watch each other,
ready to spring at each others threats
at the slightest movement toward the
little lambs whose tender limbs would
make such luscious n1orsel
ENGLAND has declared war because the
neutrality of Belgium has been violated
by Germany The German wolf has
sprung at the little lamb. and the Eng
llsh wolf must keep the lamb from being
devoiired hy any but herself
The rulers Of the buffer States have
but small prestige In the eyes of the
| great kings. When the German Kaiser,
n year or so ago, assembled beneath the
roof of his imperial palace In Berlin the
,uustrious guests at the wedding feast
of his only daughter. one heard nothing
about King Albert of Belgium Queen
Wilhelmina of Holland, or the Grand
Duchess Marie Adelaide Of Luxembourg.
Their presence was not sought; there
was no room for them at this banquet
/ Ing table OF mighty kings. Cousin
George of Great Britain was very much
| in evidence Cousin Nicholas of Russia
was entreatcd to come Kaiser William
was eager to welcome him beside his
board William. George and Nicholas's
wife are cousins, all grandchildren OF
Queen Victoria. Nicholas and George
are cousins too with mothers who are
sisters and beloved companions to each
other.
It is scarcely month ago that George
was planning a magnificent feast ir
honor of the 10Th birthday Of his mother
Queen Alexandra. William and Nicho-
las, with their wives and their children
were coming to the celebration. They
must give up. for the present, any
thought OF that festive Gathering Will
liam has broken loose. He stands In the
middle Of Europe, his mailed fists
clinched, making grimaces of defiance
at Cousin Nicholas in one direction and
toward Cousin George In the opposite
way. Cousin George and Cousin Nicho-
las are still friendly for the once. But
who would he surprised if they began &c
make faces ut each other too?
THE FORGOTTEN COMMON PEOPLE
Meanwhile, the common people, the
plain. simple folk, who do most of the
worlds work in time OF peace,
who, In the United States are theii
own rulers and have none but themselves
to blame for the political woes with
which they are harassed-the common
people can take heart OF grace and look
for relief In Europe now that the family
skeleton hangs In its CHASTITY grin be.
fore their eyes. Abraham Lincoln said
that the Lord must have especially loved
the common people because he made sc
many Of them. And the Lord must
have intended TO protect and succor them
in the lands Of the kings when he has
allowed the kings to grow SO envious
one of the other SO quarrelsome among
themselves Their ambition IS dividing
them to the doom of downfall and ex-
tinction. 1t will spread peace In the end
among the millions OF common folk. who
have endured sovereignty for so many
generations that they have grown docile
and submissive to its commands. and
fearful of throwing It off. Greed, selfish
ness, calasal lust for gain will be the
instrument of fate, making for freedom
and the right to live, for the people, In
stead Of the command to die.
TO CRUSH REPUBICANISM
Germany intends, as a supreme effort OF
this war to crush republlcanism In
France. But 1t is German sovereignty
France. Had William I and Bismark
possessed not quite so ferocous an appe-
title in the France of 1870, Napoleon III
would have remained upon the throne In
France, His descendants would probably
be ruling there to-day in a government
| of monarchial principles of service to VIII
liam ii, instead of that, there is a France
which presents such triumph of democ-
racy as to impcri his throne in time OF
peace and must now become the object OF
his weightiest blows
And the buffer state of Holland which
the Kaiser has invaded to get at England
from Rotterdam and Amsterdam, march
Ing through hostile land, beset on ever,
hand by enemies blocking the German
progress to the coast-Holland might to-
day be a part of the German empire blu
Tor that ferocious appetite of William
and Bismarck. 1t Is known in every
chancellerie of Europe that Napoleon II
would have given It to Bismarck for hi!
royal master IL they had left him in peace
IN France. But they must needs turn hin
adrift and devour Alsace and Lorraine
After that, Holland could not be theirs.
William would to-day give twenty in
land provinces of Alsace and Lorraine TO
one Holland with its two splendid port
on the North sea, from which he coult
send his fleet of dreadnoughts across t,
invade England If he so desired, from
which his merchant vessels could sail IL
Haunting triumph through the Englisl
channel into the ocean and hence to ever!
Iport on earth
] Let the common people take heart o