The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-31
HOLLAND IN FEAR
OF BELGIUM'S FATE
Dutch People Openly Against
German Methods. Believing
Their Nation Menaccd.
PRESS TAKES FIRM STAND

The New York correspondent of the
Amsterdam Hdndeisbidd has written for
tbs sun the following article on senti-
ment In Holland toward the war:
"When I arrived in this country n
Few. months before the war started the
general sentiment in Holland was. II
anything. pro-German Not because we
liked the individual German better thar
the average Englishman or Frenchman.
but principally because our business in
terests demanded IL and also because we
mostly had some 100000 Germans in
our mldst AZ compared with 10000 OF
all other n~at!onalities.
"Rotterdam's trade depended for four.
hfths on eastern neighbor and Ger
mans (next in order come Americans
were the best customers OF Amster.
dams diamond II tobacco markets.
This general sentiment was amply re.
fected. In the nrst days OF the crisis. by
the OF our press. which enjoys "A
very good name In International Journal
ism.
yet suddenly the whole attitude Of
our press changed. The neutral TClr-
Grudf and the radical imsfcrddmmer
published strong anti-Gierman articles.
even before the sacking OF Louvain, and
the other papers after a few days OF
hesitation 90 see whether our people in
dorsed these views. followed suit. You
must look at Our very precarious posi-
ton fully to understand this sudden
change.
Notwithstanding the compliments Of
II. @. Wells about our gallant little
army no half way intelligent Dutchman
labored for one minute under the do
fusion that W. stood the slightest chance
against the German millions. We might
have been able to defend ourselves u
back behind our famous waterlins. which
saved us in 1872 agalns; the yreatest
Generals OF that time (Turenne and
Conde). but even so We would have
had TO give up the whole part Of our
country TO the east OF Utrecht. wash In
very Nat. and consequently could have
been overrun by the Germans In a
week.
showed GcrmNny's side.
What then could have induced ou-
prudent and p~hlexmatic people and our
press to ROW caution TO the winds
and to denounce Germany and her
cause even to the danger OF mourning
her Immediate wrath" Holland was
flooded by pro-German literature. ihe
a msferd0mmer opened It's columns FOR
every German of science or political au-
thority to show us Germany's side OF
the picture. and many awaited them
selves Of the opportunity. Notwith-
standing all that, our people were no
longer to be deceived. Why lot?
THE first tales Of German a~trocitle.
had come to our knowledge and Ions
before Louvain, Aerschot and Alos. we
knew the terrible fate OF the inhabitants
OF Wise. just across our border. In
those early days We were utterly At i
loss to understand But nearly every
day there came fresh evidence OF Ger
man atrocities.
with the exception % Dlanat and
Herve the scenes Of the horrors were
In Flemish speaking Belgium and our
people had the natural advantage of tie
common language In learning the truth
first OF all.
Holland Next. L. Fcnr.
We In Holland are sure that Ger
many never will r~elinquish Belgium II
she wins this wars there one example
in history OF Prussia having given up
any country she had once annexed
We are equally sure hat we will have
to come next. The conquest Of Belgium
necessarily involves the annexation Of
Holland. because Germany can do moth
Ing with Antwerp as long as both banks
of the Scheldt remain Dutch territory
and 40 long as England could always
an army in Holland 10 strike Ger
many in the flank in a future war.
Moreover. Antwerp's trade must rapidly
go backward rs soon as Il becomes a
permanent part OF the German empire.
Even under Belgian control ANTWERP
the last five years could not hold
its own with Rotterdam on account II
the difference In he mercantile policics
OF Holland and Belgium. We are tho
only nation besides England which still
for free trade. Belgium had To
resort to n small tarlfr to protect its
rapidly growing industry. But we have
M coal and no iron and oil
at all. 80 that we have TO depend almost
solely on our colonies. Rotterdam's
present position as the biggest CONT
mental port is due entirely to our adher-
ence to free trade.
Germany. however, has a much
tariff than Belgium. ard Il IL not
to he expected that tho ruling classes
in Prussia. the agrarians. will lower
their tariff rates. which have worked
so eminently To their advantage in order
to enable Antwerp TO compete with Rot
terdam.
After the attack on the Gulflght and
7 think the attacks on Dutch
were, more a part Of the plan
to frIghten all neutrals rather than a
endeavor 4, find "A pretcXt FOR
declaring var on HolVnd also. In add
ton We recently got II new Ambassador