The Washington times., 1915-08-11
SWEDEN AND HOLLAND

Sweden lies directly in the path of
Russia, if Russia shall ever deter
mine that she must have footing
on the North Atlantic. 1t is through
the Scandinavian peninsula that the
Slav might outfank the Teuton.
Therefore Sweden has every reason
to fear Russia, for she knows that
at the bottom of Russian policy lies
the purpose Of access to the seas,
both east and west.
Holland in like fashion occupies
the frontage that imperial Germany
needs on the North Sea. Holland
controls the mouth of the Rhine,
which means vastly more than did
the mouth of the Mississippi to the
infant American republic in the
years when this country made. 1t a
fundamental of foreign policy that
the estuary of the great river must
come under our control. Holland has
for many years feared that German
ambitions might one day prepare for
her just the fate that has befallen
Belgium. Sweden has had precisely
the same fear of Russia.
Berlin has played upon Swedish
fears Of the Slav, as Great Britain
has capitalized Hollands and Bel
GUMS dread of the Teuton. Britain
does not want Germany for a neigh
Dor across the North Sea; Germany
does not want Russia to march
around her by a northern route to
the open Atlantic.
During the present war the ma
tional sympathies Of the two minor
countries have been colored by these
considerations. Sweden has tended
toward rapprochement with Ger
many, Holland has felt friendly to-
ward England. The Dutch people
are republicans by instinct and
training and tradition; they admire
the institutions Of England, and they
dislike the institutions, as they fear
the ambitions, of Germany. In like
manner the Swedish people would
instinctively affiliate with the en-
tente, for they are highly democ-
ratized people; but their geography,
plus their ingrained resentment
against Russia for the rape of Fin
land, drags them toward the Ger
manic camp.
Both Sweden and Holland have
mobilized their armies and hold
themselves ready for any eventual
ity. Holland is potentially the more
important in the present war, for
lit could, if it were forced into the
struggle on the only side 1t could
possibly be made to assume, become
base for a great Anglo-French
movement against Germany, pre-
'cisely as Belgium was used by Ger
many against France.
At the end of year of the great
war there is a pause while the world
wonders what will be the next thea
ter of operations. All signs point to
the Mediterranean; to a cooperation
of Italy, France, and Britain in fin
ishing the task at the Dardanelles
and in crushing Austria as Ger
many has crushed Russia. An Ital-
ian army officer just landed in New
York declared that his country had
65O,OOO fresh troops ready to join
France, in the Levant or elsewhere
while there has been repeated sug-
gestion that the Kitchener army will
not go to be slaughtered on the
western line, in France and Belgium
but will be used in some other GUAR
ter. At the same time comes re.
port that Germany and Austria are
turning their. attention to the south
"to crush Siberia" it is stated; to
guard against the expected huge at.
tack of the allies, is probably the
real reason.
1t may be expected that, as the
first year of the war saw first west
then east, the stage Of major oper'
ations, so the second year will see
first the Dardanelles, then the Adri
attic region, the scenes of the great
est efforts on both sides. The nortf
countries will not be dragged in dur
ing this period at least. If the soutl
should at last witness a great strug
gle and another deadlock, there nigh
be a chance of politics and militar!
exigency drawing the northern coun
tries in. They will hardly come il
otherwise.
The Mexicans having demonstrat
ed the kind of material their skull!
are composed of, Uncle Sam shoulo
resort to blasting.
Portugal has apparently given VI
her idea of having revolution unit
a time when the market isn't glutted
Uncle Sam has taken charge O.