Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-23
HOLLAND NEAR WARS
VORTEX WITH TRADE
OF NATION RUINED
Maintenance of Strict Neu-
trality, Economic as Well
as Military, Is Difficult
Task for Little Kingdom.
THE HAGUE. Sept. %.

THE HAGUE Sept. %.
Although for the present, the actual
scene Of war is moving southwark away
from the Dutch frontier, it hardly can be
said that the general outlook is con-
spicuously Frightening for Holland, says
a special dispatch to the New York
Evening Post Even those who are by
no means alarmists are far from confident
that this country will come out of the
present turmoil unmolested. Various con-
ticting interests and influences are at
work, and the possibilities are not at all
reassurinE.
Obviously, 1t has been Hollands own
interest from the beginning to observe
the strictest neutrality. No conceivable
thing could she gain by permitting her
self TO become embroiled in the war. The
most extraordinary pains have been taken
not only to maintain neutrality deliber-
ately, but TO prevent its violation by in
advertence or omission.
But her power to maintain this atti-
tude is limited by factors and conditions
inherent in her physical and economic
relations, which are not fully realized
abroad, and conditional upon the real or
imaginary interests of the parties to the
European war
Should any of them at any hour take
such a view of those interests as to de-
mand or commit an infringement of Hol-
lands neutrality, she could defend and
maintain 1t even less than could her
neighbor, Belgium,
SLENDER MEANS OF DEFENSE
Resistance might be offered against a
coup de main; or even an invader might
be held at bay at the frontier for few
days at most. Fortifcations on her bor-
ders she has none TO speak of. Holland
has no Liege no Namur, no Huy, no Di-
nant After n few brief skirmishes at
the frontier and at the railway centres,
her troops must retire before superior
force must evacuate virtually the en-
tire country and fall back upon Amster-
dam, with its batteries and inundations-
upon the so-called Fortress Holland" A
military safeguarding OF the territory
against real invader is out of the ques-
tion. The Dutch army must watch. hour
by hour day and night That is its only
task.
But the Government has n more diffi-
cult task 10 fulill. Theirs 1t is 10 see
TO II that not the smallest preteXt shall
be afforded upon which either Germany
or the Allies might base a suspicion of
Hollands real neutrality, or even a fam
cied occasion for a quarrel.
ECONOMIC NEUTRALITY
And here a new and even more seri-
Gus problem crops up. Resides the mill
tary neutrality which must be maintain
ed, there is the economic and political
neutrality 10 observe, which calls for still
greater skill and consideration.
The economic neutrality is a far more
intricate problem to deal with. Here
Holland stands between the devil and
the deep sea"
Like nearly all other small countries
Holland produces far more than her
actual need OF some commodities, and
at the same time lacks great quantities
of other goods, such as coal and
cereals. In normal times there is a
lively expectation of cattle, dairy prod
rce, vegetables, and similar provisions
and the money obtained for these goes
a long way for buying corn and flour.
coal etc.
The output Of cattle and dairy prod
uce is normal that of vegetables and
fruits Is far greater than normal
thanks to the splendid crops But ex-
portatioR has come almost to a stand
still.
This has disorganized the markets.
and as there were no quotations avail
able and both cash and means OF
transport were not 10 be found all
prices became erratic and oscillated
hercely for days. We have had famine
prices for a couple Of days and then
everything was falling, falling. falling
And of wheat there was none. Not for
more than TWO weeks was -four avail
able, and the gas plants and electric rail-
ways, Waterworks and inland shipping,
foresaw the moment at which they would
have 20 use their last ton Of coal
DANGER IN GERMAN TRADE
At the moment, the situation is lntrin-
sically better Bunker coal excepted, coal
is arriving from both our neighbors and
even small quantities OF -four have arrived
in our ports.
But the fact that Holland is sending
cattle to Germany has annoyed several