The Washington herald., 1915-10-19
CONTINUED FRoa PAGE ONE.

found It stated In quite unequivocal terms
thateat the first convenient opportunity
the Prussian eagle would fly above these
far-fung strongholds Of Deutschtum.
Sometimes the Monroe Doctrine was
mentioned. always with disapproval.
often with derision. II may be said that
tJese chauvinists did not represent sober
German thought. Perhaps. but they &C
curateiy represented imperial and COM
mercial ambition. the most chauvinistic
things s4s1t ever brought nations to grips.
Perhaps IL we could see the confidential
consular reports covering the last few
years from Coronel. Chile. or the PROV
ince Of San Paulo. Brazil. we would find
an interesting confirmation OF what is
here suggested. Had there been no war
In Europe Il Is safe to say that before
this the Monroe Doctrine would have
been challenged. perhaps at the swords
point.
Why then. should We have any reason
to suppose THAI Germany Will get posses
sion of the Dutch West Indies? 1t Is not
to be assumed that they will suffer
change OF dominion by cession or sale as
long as the Dutch remain an independent
sovereign nation. Such a transfer might.
ii is true. take place. but II Is not sum-
GENTLY likely to call for action on the
part of the United States. Nor Is II rea-
sonable to suppose that Germany will
ever attempt to annex Holland merely
for the sake of obtaining possession Of
the Dutch West India Islands and 40 es-
tabfishinz vantage hold on the United
States that will allow of her proceeding
unhindered to the realization Of her South
American colonial aspirations.
Germany. Reason. Are Urgent.
The actual fact Is that Germany's rea-
sons for bringing Holland into the con-
federation are urgent and. incidentally,
far more tustifable than any other OF
her pan-German ambitions. Nor Is II less
true that sooner or later their economic
necessities will compel the Dutch to ad-
NIT the desirabiity OF becoming an
integral part of the German empire. II
may be many years before this occurs.
1t may happen In two or three.> The
governing the event are
at present on the knees Of the gods
But when IL does occur-as sooner or
later IL must-the Dutch West Indies
will become the German West Indies
and the name Of wilhelmstad will have
a new and-to us-sinister significance.
And how could we then object or
ask Holland to step aside from the path
a dispute over the possession Of three
small islands In the Caribbean Sea? We
could not object with any show Of reason.
We could only demand peremptorily that
the islands be ceded or sold to US as
the price of our acquiescence in the pro-
posed arrangement Then let us rem
ember that never has such a demand been
made upon one sovereign nation by an
other unless the nation making the de-
pranarad tn taxa hV might
what she claimed by right.
In other words, We would then have to
fight for the possession Of the islands.
Possibly that contingency Is not one
which We view with alarm. But surely
Il Is better to obtain possession of the
Islands now by peaceful and diplomatic
IL that can be done, than to
ngs' of a fight which might nos after |
all be decided in our favor.
What then are the economic necessi- |
ties that are to drive Holland willy /
ailly into the Teutonic fold?
Great Textile Industries.
A glance at the map OF Europe shows
clearly how vital Is the relation between |
Rotterdam and Antwerp and the Rhine |
md Scheldt rivers and the great indus |
.riatS Ssstefs sol westphalia and Rhenish ;
PrussAaA In these districts are carried |
IN the Greater part OF all Germany's |
yreat textile industries and a still great
n proportion Of her vast steel and Iron !
Industries. These things form the bulk
II Germany's foreign trade, three quar-
ers Of which Is overseas trade. A great
part OF all this overseas trade reaches
idewater through Holland. II II were
lot Cor the Rhine waterways. German
uanufa cture-s could never successfully \
in foreign markets with their
British rivals. Across the mouth OF this
,reat waterway sits Holland. an other
wise poor and agricultural people,
,attening on the proceeds Of Germany's
ver growing export trade.
It Is not altogether surprising that Ger
many should long ago have felt that the
,cople thus growing rich at her expense
hould even the account by allyine them
elves economically and politically with
heir bcnefactors.
Napoleon once foretold that annexation
o some greater power must one day be
he fate of Holland. And fifty years later
hat astute historian, Won Treitschke,
'oiced with his usual emphasis Ger
nany's aspirations in the matter. And
| Is safe to say that ever since that
ime tangible efforts to bring about a
ealization of those aspirations have not
zen wanting. In the first place there
as been the, customary propaganda.
hat subtle admixture Of inspired jour
align. diplomatic c2ioiery and mild
aber rafting that the world Is now NO
amiliar with. Thus In July or August.
9ol. when relations between Great
sritain and Holland were strained on
ccount OF the South African war and
shcn diplomatic Germany was In conse- .
ucnce putting In some shrewd work In {
ehalf of closer Dutch-C'erman relations
-4Nt 4
sent. there appeared IN that usually /,
aspired organ Die Grenzboten." an ar
Icis from the pen OF Prince Bueiow.