Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-19
HOLLAND HARBORS
BUT ONE AMBITION
1t Wishes to Fulfill It's Duties
Toward All Other
Countries.
WILL MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY
People Generally Detest Germans
and Are in Fear Of
Them.
WILL MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatch.
LONDON. December lS.--The attitude
OF no neutral country in Europe is
watched more attentively by all the
hellGcrent countries than that OF Hol-
land. whose geographical position
makes it a factor of the greatest i'm
portance.
The following Impressions of a neu-
trail newspaper writer who has just
arrived here, after an extensive trip
throughout the little kingdom. are
therefore OF great interest. the more
so as he is the first to succeed getting
an interview with Cort van der Linden,
the Dutch Prime Minister.
STRICTEST NEUTRALITY
Is POLICY OF HOLLAND
Holland" the Prime Minister said,
''has from the beginning of the war
adopted policy of the strictest ncu-
trality. and is to-day as determined as
ever to maintain this attitude Unfor-
tunatcly. our neutrality has not been
fully understood. or rather it has never
been understood at all in any of the
belliEercnt countries. Our neutrality u.s.
indeed. very much different from that
of certain other European countries,
which. while they are neutral in a way,
still have hopes and ambitions which
/, they dream OF realizing. Holland has
only one ambition--to be able to fulfill
our duties towards all other countries
in the fullest possible measure"
But what about smuEgling?" the
interviewer asked.
Il am we'll aware there are people
in Holland who are smuggling contra
band of war into Germany. but we are
in no way responsible for their actions.
You must remember that the frontier
we have to guard is very long one.
1t is carefully guarded. but smugglers
always find ways to sneak. their goods
through, The traffic. however, is far
from being as important as England
and France believe. If the smugglers
could make use OF the large steamers
running up the Rhine, the matter would
he serious, but as they are absolutely
| unable to do so their operations are
limited to sending small parcels OF
slight Importance across the frontier
in various ways. In doing so they very
often risk their lives. for the precau-
tons we have taken are strict.
'''ro Holland the principle of neu-
( trality is sacred. There is, however.
also the principle of the freedom of
commerce. and the Dutch people cannot
give up their right TO dispose Of the
products OF their soil Statistics re-
Gently issued by the Department. OF
Agriculture show there is very little
difference between what we export TO
Germany and what we export to Eng
land"
The first impression which strikes
one when arriving in the capital of
Holland" the writer continued, lis that
the city swarms with Germans. whom
YOU meet everywhere. Spying is going
on so openly that at first you are sur
prised the people do not protest against
the methods OF the unlimited guests.
After a while. however you realize that
the question of spying does not in
terest these people. who have only one
thought-to buy and sell. The Dutch
are certainly merchants and one might
feel tempted to say that there runs
, smugglers' blood in their veins
DUTCH IN MORTAL
FEAR OF THE GERMANS
The Dutch. besides. are in mortal
fear OF the Germans. for from the
thousands of Belgian refugees they are
sheltcring they know what the Ger
mans are capable of doing Tho
funniest part is that the Germans are
no less afraid Of the Dutch, and are
exceedingly careful not TO rub them
the wrong way, so as to throw them
into the arms of the entente.
NO most assurcdly. the Germans are
anything but popular in Holland
have travelled all over the country. and
have found that at least eighty out OF
every hundred OF Queen Wilhelmina's
subjects are heart and soul with Eng
land and France. In every village you
may lind posters advertising Joffre's
Cigars. with the portrait of the French
gen"raliSSmo on the cover OF the box
while YOU look in vain for boxes bear
ing the images of the Kaiser or Won
IlindenburG.
Here in England you often hear
people express the opinion that the
Dutch army. officers as well as soldiers,
found that the soldiers, without eycep-
ton. deteSt the Germans most heartily.
THE Dutch people, and especially tho
working classes, make no attempt
whatever to conceal their hatred of the
Germans have spoken with street
car conductors. letter carriers and me
chanics OF all kinds. and everywhere
| have found that the same opinion
AS for the farmers. who are selling
their cheese at very high prices to
whomsoevcr wants to buy it, / have
failed TO find a single one vino had IL
good word to say for the Germans"