The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-06
THE DUTCH-ANERICAN VIEW.
a Reply TO Certain statements Of MIR.
y. (unIIffe-SIN en-


| To TuE EDITOR OF THE SuH-Sir: In
| THE SrN OF yesterday Mr.. +, Cunliffe-
owen devotes a page to discussion OF
| the very obvious fact that In this war
! Holland may find itself between the upper
| and neither grindstones. In the course OF
| his article he makes certain mlsstate-
| ments and assertions. however for which
| there u no warrant Of fact First OF all.
! he assures his readers that England and
| France RETAINED from despatching troops.
big guns and cruisers up the Scheldt 10
Antwerp because the neutrality of Hol-
| land is guaranteed by solemn treaties"
As a matter OF fact there are no Solemn
treaties" guaranteeing the neutrality OF
Holland there never have been. Any
how. barring the cruisers, why were these
troops and heavy guns not sent by the
way taken by Mr.. Churchill and his naval
brigade? The celebrity with which they
went home again proves that the route
was quite open.
Mr. owen asserts that the import
trade in foodstuffs OF the Netherlands has
quadrupled since the beginning of the
WARRIOR export to Germany. he says I
should like to know his authority. AS
matter Of fact, the Dutch we're 40 short
OF foodstuffs for a time that all kinds OF
substitutes for bread became necessary.
thanks to England's arbitrary interpreta-
lions OF the term "contraband"
That some smuggling has been going on
In Holland Is undoubtedly true. But Is
II not amusing to ind an Engishman
growing virtuously indignant over this
when one remembers the gigantic contra
band trade Of England with hostile France
during the whole Napoleonic era? The
squire invariably found cask OF French
brandy on his doorstep ON the morning
after a successful haul--a delicate atten-
ton greatly appreciated. At least the
Dutch contraband trade and IT amounts
to very little. Is not with the nations
enemy. hut with a neutral.
Furthermore. Is Il not imprudcnt for
an Englishman to refer to the GERMAN
affiliations OF another nations royal
family And why that sncer at the valor
of the Dutch? Mr. owen must know |
even though the British censor carefully |
withholds the Information. that the pres
ent estimation Of British vaior In Bel !
GUM and Holland is not high one. At |
the beginning Of the war Belgian officers |
and privates alike invariably asked the !
question after skirmish or battle with |
the invaders. Have the English arrived |
YETI They were expected at Os,end |
they went to lIavre. a quite remote spot |
from which to fulh that sacred ohliga- |
ton of defending the neutrality of Bel |
GUM. After n while the Belgians ceased TO |
ask the question. And after Mr. Church.
MS grotesqu" grand stand play at
Antwerp. Belgian opinion of England
would not look well in print II is an
opinion that IL beginning 20 be held else
where AS well, Notwithstanding an I'M
reasinE stream OF boasts from London.
Holland may do, in case OF
German invasion. she will certainly not
rely upon British aid.
holland has certainly been under Ger
man influences during the last thirty
years, under the influences Of that won
ler:ul organization OF Germany IN p ace
which English writer's were praising until
he outbreak OF this war. During that
ieriod the socio-ecouomiC mudde of Eng
and has decidedly been the very last
Example to follow for a nation bent on
'eforms
As for the Dutch East Indies, of course
england has her eye on them. An oppor-
unity may stu be found in the midst OF
Ter struggle for high ideals to take them,
or the good OF the natives OF course
iote Mr. owens use % the adjective
blood soaked" in his reference to them
The iaborer in the vineyard OF civilization
md democracy is yet worthy OF his pick
ngs. \ DurCH-AMERIcAN
NEW loHk, November 9