Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-31
DUTCH EDITORS ARREST

THE HAGUE, December lo.--I can
hardly be far from tho truth in saying
that the most-taiked- OF man In IIol-
editor OF tho Amsterdam Telegram.
who was arrested suddenly on the
evening OF December 4.
hold no brief for the Tcicgraaf or
for It's editor. and while ] admire the
straishtness and force Of his never in
termitting attacks, ] can hardly pro-
fess admiration for his methods. The
Tclcgraafs attacks often left the par
ties attacked an opening for making
ella i'm for damages on IN. ground OF
insult or defamation. Nero insult or
Islander is punishable under Dutch law
without the accused having the right
of proving his statements. This is
nice technical point of the Dutch law.
This has bccn tho experience Of tho
TELEGRAPH. y round dozen OF lawsuits.
brought in by persons who were an
scred at seeing lifted a corner Of the
curtain behind which they covered their
smuggling and other Vaccinations, did
not do much harm to the paper in
question. Part Of them will result in
an adverse verdict and probably in
rather heavy damages. II moght cost
money, the conducting TO the end of
this unfcarinG and uncompromi
that the Dozen was up" stated that
he intended to go on in the same strain
and with the same vchcmcncc until tho
government should awake to sec where
their duty lay. But at the same time
he left this government the choice be-
tween being sleepy fools or down
right traitors ana pam Germans. ncu-
trails through they call themselves"
1t was thc article out OF which I cited
"A
doinS-at least his being taken into
custody.
Outspokem and Energetic.
Lukcwarlnness that old fault Of the
llollandcr cannot be laid against Mr..
schroeder. He is one of the few mon
in Holland who iareS TO call out 'Stop
thief" when he sees one. and who will
&c ont Of his way to do Il little bit
OF stopping himself. which is rarcr still
in our we'll -policed civilization. But
Mr.. Schroeder was vigilance COM
nitce in himself. His correspondents
we're everywhere. Even IN Bclyium's
darkest days, when nobody could pass
the frontier, when every letter bearer
was shot at sight, the Telegram cor
respondents got their news through
and never have Germans been hated
and "strafed'' as they were in the col
umnS Of this Amsterdam paper
No smugglcr could devise u new
method of transporting forbidden ar
t!clcs across the frontier but the TcIc-
Sraaf was there to expose him and his
method. The people concerned fumcd
with Indignation. but as the facts were
undeniable they could only resort TO
complaining OF insults and dcfamati ion
i'm the wording of the divulgation. The
continuous attacks upon government
lhNit ysccm 10 have induced the pres
ent judica! action.
Thc TcleSraat is Il paper which poll
Teal men can afford 10 quarrel with
because II has no electorate behind i,
and never takes part in any issue of
home politics And this il very much
said in IL country where an electorate
OF under "a million has to make its
selection between some fifteen politi-
cal parties and the subdivisions thereof
The arrest took place.
But not an issue has come off it's
presses since the date of the arrest
without the acting editor being able
to print from six to twelve columns