The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-09-22
HOLLAND IS
STR|CTLYFOR
THE DUTCH
AND is NOT TAKING SIDES IN THE
WAR ALL AROUND 1T, BUT is
PREPARED TO RESIST lNVA-
SION OF GERMANS.

the Netherlands as the best account o
Dutch rural life and industry whicl
has ever been written, has just return
ed TO London from Holland. Discussing
the attitude of Holland toward Great
Britain and Germany concerning
which there are many misconceptions
he says:
Some silly things have been print
ed in London papers about the atti
tude of the Dutch at this time. One OF
the most ignorant questions which is
asked, is, Are the Dutch probing
lish or pro-German% The answer is
that the Dutch are pro-Dutch.
when it was thought Great Britain
might unwittingly violate the neutrali-
ty of the Echeldt by sending troops
past Flushing to Antwerp-the mouth
of the waterway leading to the great
commercial port of Belgium belongs
to Holland-the Dutch prepared to
| dispute Britain's passage with all the
strength at their command. At this
moment the whole coast line of Hol-
land is defended by mines and forts
against any attempt on Britain's part
to take upon themselves, without be
ing asked, the defense of Holland
against Germany.
Ready to Fight Germans.
"On the other hand the bulk of the
Dutch army is now on the Belgo-Ger
man frontier, determined to resist to
the uttermost German invasion. Be
hind the Dutch line are carefully
thought out facilities, which may not
be particularized, for falling back to
the famous water line should an over
whelming force appear. All the inde-
fensible country to the east of that
line-mOre than half of Holland
would be abandoned as the Dutch
troops fell back behind the fort-stud-
ded LIME.
"If the twelve mile shooting can
non of the Germans should be to much
for the forts of the Water Line and
should means be found by the invad.
ers to cross the flooded territory,
then the Dutch army abandoning Rot
terdam, left Leyden would stand be-
hind another and little known line Of
water and forts around Amsterdam.
Because of this defense, by reason of
its geographical situation, the city has
been thought to be one of the strong
est military positions in the world.
Although, however, Dutchmen be-
lieye that their country could make a |
stronger resistance than Belgium, they
are under no illusions. They know
very well that, opposed to the full
strength Of Germany or Great Britain
Holland eventually must succumb.
at might even be that, taught by |
the bitter experience which Belgium !
has had with the power of German ar
tillery. submission might be necessary
after the forcing of the first water
line.
"The situation is therefore, that the
independence Of Holland is at the
mercy of Great Britain and Germany, /
and neither Of them is absolutely trust
ed by Holland as a whole.
The instructive feeling of Dutch
men is to detest Germans: that is
Prussians and Prussianized Germans. !
Like the British, the Dutch have be
lieyed in freedom of speech and free
dom of printing, freedom of trade and !
freedom of entrance to the oppressed |
of other nationalities; they are not |
attracted to soldering: except under |
the pressure of necessity after a |
fashion of their own, formal precise
and orderly; they are liberty loving |
and will not be over governed; and |
they hate all pretense and fuss, being |
probably the plainost dressed people !
in Europe There is something there
fore in the barrack room attitude of
mind and practice of the Prussiaus |
which jars every fiber in the Dutch |
organism.
Nest of Trade with Germany.
But the Dutchman is also prac-
teal Holland is a pipkin of clay afoat
with an iron pot. Half the country. f.
the half that faces Germany. is not
deiensible. Holland is full of Ger
mans who know the country as they
know their gloves. Seventy-fye per
cent of the trade of Rotterdam and a /
large proportion of the trade of Ans
tcrday is with Germany. The queens I.
husband. and her mother are Germans /
and some members of the court and a !
few officers OF the army. perhaps have /
German sympathies.
One OF the most influential papers /
in the country published in Rotter. /
dam, naturally reflects its depend. |