The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-05-03
HOLLAND, THOUUH
 AT PEACE, FEELS THRILLS OF WAR
Roar of Cannon Is Audible in Peaceful Agricultural
 Districts.

Bergen -op-Zoon, Netherlands, May 3-Dutch soldiers under arms stand at intervals along the Dutch Belgian frontier near here, keen observers of the movements of the Germans in de- vastated Belgium, for Holland is de- teTInined she will not permit without fighting the entry of foreign troops from whatever side they may come.
 The Dutchmen, themselves not at war, live through at least some of the excitement of actual fighting, for in the stiffness reigning over the peace fuI agricultural districts about here they can hear from time to time the roar of cannon from the direction of Zeebrugge. Also they are often wit resses of the chase by German troops of young BeIgians making a dash for the frontier in an effort to get to Hol- land and thence across the Channel to England to join the Belgian army in Flanders.
 The German sentries just over the river separating the two countries never cease their vigilant lookout for these young fellows and the precau- ttons they have taken to prevent them crossing the line are very stern. Bush es have been cut down and obstacles in the way of clear view of the land scape have been removed On the bare ground barted wire entang1e- ments have been erected to a depth of many yards,
 Yet the young BeIgians dare every thing They crawl beneath the wire in the night and with luck manage in many cases to get through at the ex- pense of torn clothing and flesh. Then, however, there is the open space be- fore the frontier to negotiate. This is closely guarded by German 1andstrum troops, but the Belgians often try ito cover it in a desperate dash under the fire of the sentries. Numbers of them succeed, for the Germans take good care not to fire in the direction of the frontier, as they would thus run the risk of shooting the Dutch sentinels on the other side of the line and in this way committing breach of neu- tra1ity.
 Once within Dutch territory the Bel gian youths are free. As they are not yet soldiers. they cannot be interned and most of them make their way to a port for shipment across the Chan mel
 The Dutch troops on other portions of the frontier have also to keep a sharp lookout for smugglers of contra band from their own territory into Germany These smugg1ers, owing to the rich profits in case of success, are very daring and tricky, and they do not hesitate to use violence against their own countrynen.
 GSasolene and horses are the most profitable to the smugs1ers. The for naer brings at least treble it's price in times of peace.
 Sound horses of any age fetch ex- traordinary high prices from the Ger mans, anything Up to $500 being paid Flor draft horses.
 All roads leading to. the frontiers are closed to traffic Directly on the l border line at wide intervals stand single sentrfes with their loaded rifles resting beneath their arr-- About 200 yards further back is a second line of sentfneIs and behind thase some dis tance in the rear are piclsets of a dog en men with a non Commissioned off, icer.
 The smugglers naturally keep to side paths or go across country Tn case they should be seen. by the pick cts they are at onoe arrested and their loads condscated. Often, however, al Enight they succeed in passing through the gaps between the pickets. Then their progress becomes more difncuIi and their presence is often discovered by the inner line ee sentfies who fire if the snnugg1ers, as som etimes hap pens, make a, dash to reach the Ger man lines. Occasionally the chase Is a lively one and gives rise to a rapic fusillade, which in many cases proves fatal to the snugglers