The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-03-20
HOLLAND GETTING IT'S LESSON


II Is utterly beyond understand
ing that the German admiralty
should have permitted a submarine
to go out in charge Of a crew that
would make such a horrible blunder
as the sinking Of the Dutch steam
ship Tubantia. Holland feels today
as the United States felt when the
Lusitania went down; or rather as
the United States would have felt
If the Lusitania had been an Ameri-
can vessel, under the American flag,
bearing every possible identification
mark to indicate her nationality
and character.
II 1t was a mistake, IL was an
excuseless one. II it was the result
Of deliberation, then it was crime;
the crime of war-mad government.
It could not have been done delib-
erately unless Germany has some
deep purpose Of offense to the
Dutch kingdom; and what that pur-
pose is cannot be imagined.
OF all the neutral countries in
Europe, there is none that could do
Germany SO much harm, by enter
ing the war, as Holland. The little
nation is rich, is powerful out Of
proportion to its numbers, and is so
geographically situated that, once in
the war, il would afford the allies a
base from which to outhank the Ger
man lines in Belgium and France,
and 10 attack Essen, the seat Of the
Krupps and center Of the munition
manufacture. The Dutch army has
been held ready for any eventuality
for many months; it is capable Of eff
fective offense in cooperation with
the forces Of France and England;
and its projection into the war
would completely change the face Of
affairs.
Yet in the face Of all this that is
SO obvious, submarine sinks the
great Dutch ship that was the pride
Of the whole nation, without warn
ing or excuse; and now comes from
Berlin another Of those mocking dis
avowals. The admiralty announces
that there was no German submarine
in the neighborhood; that the ves-
sci was sunk in the zone where
such attacks are not made; and
therefore Germany insists that Brit
ain, for some strange reason, must
have done the act!
Holland declines to take this ex-
PLANTATION seriously, and we learn
that the German press and public
are deeply hurt that the Dutch
should decline to be satisfied with
it. Seemingly nobody in Holland
has any doubts about what hap.
pened. The notion Of a deep-laid
British plot is not accepted any.
where; the supposition that a Ger.
man undersea boat did the crime is
accepted just as confidently as it de.
serves to be in view Of the Ger,
man record since the war began
Why should any German explanation
Of this kind be taken seriously? Why
should there be doubts? Holland evi
IDENTIFY sees no reason to doubt, ne
reason to assume that German ex
PLANTATION deserves any presumption
Of good faith.
Holland is learning the lesson tha
the United States has been learning
from the day of the Lusitania trag
edy down to date; the lesson of Ger
man malevolence and deviousness
1t is learning what is the real mean
ing of Germany's leering proclama
tions that Berlin is safeguarding
the freedom Of the seas:" which
means the freedom to murder indis
criminately, enemies and neutrals
women and babes; to fight anybod,
except combatants, to pursue tn,
most cowardly course that over ;
maritime nation adopted.
Small wonder that the press an,
people of Holland are talking grave
ly Of war. Holland as nation ha
, seen the fate of Belgium; it cal
hope for no better, if Germany shal
win. 1t has been reminded anew, b
the Tubantia affair, of the meaning
less character of German assurances
5 1t sees nothing ahead save either +
sacrifice national self-respect, or els
take its place on the side of civiliza
ton and decency.