The Washington herald., 1915-10-19
German Eyes on Dutch West Indies

I which is as enIiEhtenins as II is typical.
The article says:
Politically Holland is threatened by
other nations. Her guaranteed neutrality
| Ii no more than a shred Of paper. Spain
has been brutaIly crushed by the United
States. Portugal hangs light a ~ In
| the SPIDERS net of England, a prey tc
her monopolistic mercantile system The
Dutch will not share the fate of the
Beers. but II they are not careful they
may be caught in British snares- From
all these dangers Incorporation with
Germany Is the only salvation. The
movement Of naval expansion in Ger
many will not end until a German navy
foats upon the sea that can compete
with the feet of Great Britain. Equally
strong on sea or land the world may
choose our friendship or our enlnity. The
strong may make their choice but Hol-
land will do well to stand by Us in
friendship. not SO much for our SAKE
as for her own existence.
But Germany has not been contcn: with
either threats or persuasion to bring
the Dutch round to her point Of view.
For there have always been grave rea-
sons why neither the one nor the other
could alone be relied upon to bring about
the desired results. But Il was long
ago seen that IL would be a different
matter II strong economic pressure could
be brought to bear. Holland was pros
pering on Germany's export trade
through Antwerp and Rotterdam. To
divert that trade elsewhere would be
to bring her to the verge of ruin. Rather
than lose ii she would sccede to any
demands Germany might make for eco
nomic or political union.
Germany undertook the task Of CO.
ercion in characteristic fashion. In fact
she adopted precisely those tactics that
unscrupulous corporations used TO have
recourse to to crush smaller competitors.
In 1882 the Dortmund- Emden canal was
commenced. II was completed several
years later and has since been extended
and enlarged. Millions OF dollars have
been spent on il and on making Emden
into a great seaport The purpose of
this canal was to divert German export
trade from the Rhine and Scheldt, from
Dutch to German port OF clearance.
Such an undertaking cannot be accom-
plished in a day. BY August. ls0+the
last year for which statistics are avail
able-the amount of freight thus turned
lad not reached any monumental pro-
portions In actual tonnage. But Il was
enough to make Holland ponder. No
doubt she realized the truth. that the
Northumberland canal with its twenty
locks and other Inconvenience was not
really competing with the Rhine route.
that the competition was really provided
by the German governments apparent
willingness to run its enterprise at a
loss for as long as might be necessary
to compel Holland to sell out That
realization brought no comfort. Rich
Germany could cut rates indefinitely.
Holland must soon succumb or see the
warehouses OF Rotterdam given over to
emptiness and the rats.
why Holland Objected.
Hollands objection TO going into the
German Bund has been twotoId. In the
first place the Dutch do not like Prus-
sianism: still less do they like milithrism-
They love freedom and leisure. Their
colonial empire has brought them wealth
but little military glory and certainly no
thirst for more OF the latter. 1t Is true
that they could demand as the price of
dens, but they could not demand free
dom from Prussian influences. the et-
feet Of which on the non-Prussian menu
bers Of the confederation has not been
encouraging. Perhaps the Dutch would
have before now come to consider this
personal objection as OF small account in
with the threatened loss of
their trade. But there has been a more
formidable obstacle &c the absorption Of
lIllO lIe SCLAioil E@iuphCs AHdl
objection was Great Britain.
Had Germany really been travelling In
the paths OF peace. had the proposed
union no other than an economic aspect
II is doubtful II Great Britain could have
objected to Il or that she would
have done So But Germany was intense
ly belligerent. She was building a
navy which had for its sole object the
Of Britain's maritime su-
CLa
mote and often useless spots on the
earth's surface which could only be used
as bases for attacks upon Sritain's mar
time commerce and Britain's colonies. |
And she was not even taking the trouble |
10 make a perfunctory diplomatic denial !
Of her well advertised ambitions. Under |
these circumstances for Great Britain |
10 have acquiesced In Germany's assim- !
laticn of Holland and the Dutch colonies |
would have been the act of an imbecile. |
Germany Expected War.
It Is not necessary for Us to consider |
by what processes Germany expected To |
the objections that she knew /
well would be raised either by Great |
Britain or any other power. Had the /
desired union been brought about by |
pressure. by a diplomatic VIC
.o-y Germany would have been able to |
assume defensive role She would haze
lad law on her side and her adversaries
he necessities on theirs. But there were
,ther considerations. For years the war
clouds had been gathering over Europe.
den knew that war must come and soon,
I'D Germany knew II better than any
ne else II Is not necessary to credit
ie- with any elaborate schemes of ag-
yrcssiou ur ACKNOWLEDGMENT She knew
hat war was coming. and no doubt felt
hat whatever form the struggle might 1
AXE q would leave her IN the position.
ihould she De victorious. 20 round out
,e= imperial destiny and safeguard her
maritime and economic interests by COM
Yelling Holland to unite with her.
That attitude we must credit her with