The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1914-10-16

almost think the Dnke OF Alba was
making another descent on the Low
iards. A few la,n ago-before
Queen WUielmina addressed the
eaing 5rscion Of ihe staten-Gen-
etai n th~ sphiec. of neutrality, ex-
essions re- ami Gu could be
card l., inc cafes an other public
0'ace. ut the g,htle language OF
Her Majesty penetrated deeply
editors have again taken to their
mental retreats and the burghers
again think Of the floods that will
inundate most of north central Hol-
land in case any warning nation
Should attempt an invasion.
Holland has begun to realize the
delcaoy and difficulties of her posi-
tiun. and the danger of any pro
nounced sympathy with one or the
other of the belligerent powers. It is
feared that London might take adj
vantage of any expression of feeling
in favor Of the allies in the hope of
getting The Hague to make conces-
sions which would bring the Ger
mans over the Dutch borders, This
part of the issue is clear enough
even to the Germans, whose press
refers to it now and then guardedly
and with the intimation that it is
better to, have Holland afraid OF
England than in love with Germany
Holland on the whole seems to
have been well satisfied with the pre
bellian status in Europe Germany
was a good customer of the Dutch
cnlonies and put annuallN millions
into the Dutch railways and oversea,
river and canal bottoms That there
are at present out Of work in Rotter-
dam some 5000 mes who heretofore
imade a comfortable living in the
transport business rreated by Ger
man industry is daily reminder
that after all the interests of Holland
do not wholly lie In the destruction
of Germany's foreign commerce Hol-
| land. in addition to handling a great
part of Germany'a Jsupply of foo
lalso carried fully one fourth of the
raw material imported by the Ger
man manufacturers and about one
fifth Iof the German exports, having
lalmost entirely the traffic originating
! in Rhenish Prussia. Westphalia ar
other parts of the empire enjoying
canal transportation facilities acces-
sible from the Rhine.
What the conditions of this traffic
will be after the war, is a problem
with the Hollander Certain it is
that Germanys industrial position
could not be reduced without causing
serious losses to the Netherlands of
this some 10000 men. women and
children suffering from unemploy-
ment are i'm evidence. Formerly
about 800 sea-going vessels entered
the port of Rotterdam every week.
AT present the average is below 30.
and most of these are said to 90 with
half -cargoes River and canal traffic
is all but paraly2ed and the railroad
receipts are dwndling constantly.
AS a member Of the local chamber Of
commerce remarked: Our railroads
are kept busy haulmg coal for them
selves lie might have added that
when not doing this they are obliged
to handle one-tenth of the Dutch
army back and forth, the men under
arms being entitled to one day with
their families every tenth day.
Much has been done by the govern
meut TO avert disaster. employ the
unemployed. and lessen the suffering /
of those unable to find work The
government has issued ~Zilyerbons |
script calculated TO replace the /
actual currency which disappears /
from circulation as soon as war
threatens. The cities, TOO. have been
gwen the right to- issue such money
backed by the municipal pro- brty !
This has had The tendency TO restore
and recently much silver
has been taken ont Of hiding so that !
now conditions are fairly normal
Public work which had been de-
iayed for one reason or another has
been inaugurated by the national
government and most cities are hav-
ing their sewers given a thorough !
In Rotterdam. for in
stance. many streets have been torn /
ln from one end to the other and a
large force is being employed in
sftne black. evil-smelling ooze from
me canals hy means OF wire baskets
it the end Of a long pole-a primi-
i've way of doing things but one
which helps 10 keep people in bread.
{ not in butter Then. too. the arti-
icial advancing Of food prices has
zen given much attention.