Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-21
HOLLAND BEARS BURDEN
Entertains Hope of Preserving Pence to
the Observation-Disclosures Has Given
Country 100000 Trained Men.


still raging around her.
The country has borne much in the pas.
two years which n stronger power would
not have suffered, but it has been pre-
served from the mscries of war. and a! .
though vigilance is still the order of the
day, the Dutch nation now entertans Il
good hope of preserving peace to the
end That its position is still perlous,
however. the latest orange Book testihes.
and it is recognized that the ultimate
peace congress may itself bring dangers
IN it's train. 1t is clear that nothing u -
q direct act of war, action tending T."
force the nation from it's strict path of
neutrality will bring the Queen or h"r
ministers to enter the struggle; in all 9th
er cases of restriction of Hollands rights
and damage to her interests they are ev,-
IDENTIFY prepared to content themselves
with protests
For Queen Wilhelmina and the royal
house the whole period has been IN eN-
ceedngly trying Her majesty 3
mother, the popular Queen Emma, and
her consort, Prince Henry Of the Neither
lands, are of German birth, and in other
ways, not overlooking the close ties with
Belgium. the deepest personal feelings Of
the House of Orange have been painfully
affected by the events of the past two
years. Nevertheless an attitude of the
etrictcst correctness has been adhered
20 throughout. Her majesty has closely
devoted herself to the responsible wori
of State She has frequently toured the
country on military inspection. at which
ceremonies she iu often mounted on horse
back She has moreover taken the initia-
tive in relief work has paid many visits
TO various institutions engaged in WORK
IN the interests of soldiers or people: has
headed war loans and relief funds; has
visited and consoled the victims of the
foods and has daily gone in and out quiet
~ and unostentatiously among her people.
The Queen is frequently to be seen as
early as Si5 in the morning walking down
through the streets of The Hague from
the House in the Wood to the palace. re-
turning the respectful salutatlons of her
subjects and occasionally responding TO
the stiff military salutes of passing Off
GERS \ lady of her suite is usually with
her on such occasions, while one giant ut
tendant walks some distance behind. The
Queen Mother has lived in greater re
trement and the Prince has devoted much
of his attention to the Red Cross organ
tzation.
Premier Cort Van der Linden's extra
parliamentary but liberal cabinet still
holds the reins of government, although 1t
has undergone one or two changes, Min
listers A. f. J. Bertlinr and NJ W. +.
Treub having resigned and been succeed
ed by F. z. Posthuma as minister Of az
riculture, commerce and industry, ana
DR. Anton Van Gym as minister of finance.
In its foreign policy it certainly still re-
tains the support of the whole counti'-
and this is likely to keep it in power
despite the strong criticism its economic
policy has been subjected to and the po
litical struggle which it's legislative pro
gram has evoked Mr.. Van der Linden
IS not party man and enjoys to a re-
markahc degree the confidence and re-
spect of men of all parties; no man Yields
so much influence in and outside Parlia-
ment at the present time
So far Holland has borne the heavy
burdens laid upon her by the war re-
markahlv we'll The maintenance of her
army Of quarter of a million men on u
war footing and other extraordinary c<
penditures have so far cost a round sum
of $lSo,ooQ0 600, which money has been TEN
rorarily found by two big loans and is
soon to be tackled in earnest by the rails
ing of special war levies and a tax or
war profits, which are expected to yield
n minimum of $60.000,o0o
The economic tusse between the allies
and the central powers is still consider
ably embarrassing the country, while the
food problem. partly growing out of big
exports to Germany, has brought minis
tors no end of trouble and may land
them In serious difficulties, for once start
ed on the road of artificial regulations.
maximum prices cheap government food
strffs, export consents and the like. fresp
and more complicated adaptations are con-
stantly called for.
The two years mobilization has given
Holand by far the largest and hes -
equipped army she has ever posscsseu.
Limited CONSUMPTION has been extendc !
into what is in effect universal compu-
sorry service up to 80 years Of age. and
training Of fresh troops has been going
On continuously ever since August. 1914.
bringing the number of trained men IN
the country Though only partly und e'
arms up to between 100000 and 500
While large proportion of the youngct
men have been with tho colors for the On
tire two wears, the relief of the odc,
mon has improved the snrt Of the army
tion and disorders which the seething dis
content at one time brought about The
socialists in Parliament are profcsscd'y
in favor of partial dcmohlization hut IL
may he doubted whether they would have
moved their motion in the chamber
this effect a few days ago If they n /
noi known II would he defeated, for the
continued extreme danger of the cou j.
trv's position is as we'll known to the >,
rs TO the responsible ministers
OFFICERS AND MEN NOT OVER.
CORDIAL.
The relations between officers and mer
Is not so good as could be desired. |.
Holland such class tie as that of spor
has hitherto largely been lacking. For.
tunatcly, sport in the army has receive
announcement from the highest quarters
during these long months of mobilization
The Queen and the commander in chic
were present In person at the army an
navy sports of Amsterdam a few daY
ago while a special bureau for the en-
couragement of sport has been set up un
der the direction of General Kleynhcn,
and many sport leaders" are being an
pointed. Seventy elcvcns took part in tn
football competitions in the fortress "
Amsterdam alone last season, while com
potitive marches and the like are not in
frequent. Furlough is granted on "A gen
crous scale to help the men to keep the
businesses going.
Coming TO the Dutch nrpss ono or tV