El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-22
HOLLAND SAFE
FROM ATTACKS
Had Army at Frontier Be
fore Europe Modified;
Sea a Powerful Ally.

Washington. y. G. Aug. 22=SWitZer-
lands system of citizen soldiery pre-
| Paredness has been a subject of wide
| exploitation since the outbreak Of the
! European war. but little has been writ
/ ten about the manner in which diminu-
! tive Holland safeguards her national
! integrity, surrounded as she is on prac-
tically all sides by powerful neighbors.
| A graphic and authoritative account
OF the citizen army of this David
among the Goliaths of Europe is given
| in a communication to the National
; Geographic society from Hendrix Will
| lem Van Loon, who writes:
The Holland with which we are al
! familiar is picturesque combination
of dikes and windmills. smiling girls
/ with pretty lace caps. and very small
| boys with very big cigars. There is
another side to this picture to whi-h
we have paid less attention: that IS
the Holland of the modern merchant
and the modern scientist small Dit
CT land teeming with industry and
busy with a thousand different affairs
"a country administering a vast colon
lal empire without the use of large
military establishment and capturing
Nobel prizes al most enviable rate
Peaceful Because Prepared.
me modern kingdom, with its har-
DOTS ana us vast foreign trade. forms
. small but concise national unit in the
midst Of very powerful neighbors. who
for two years have been engaged in the
most gigantic of all wars. Yet Holland
has managed to keep out of the strug-
gle with lasting success It was able
10 do this because in A military sense
II was fully prepared for all eventuaii-
ties.
The kingdom of Belgium was not
prepared for war and it was invaded
and overrun by a hostile army The
Netherlands. although smaller in num-
per OF inhabitants, had the entire arm
nearing force Of its male population at
the frontier 30 hours before any of the
other nations of Europe modified. As
a result the neutrality of the country
has been vigorously respected.
At 10. Enter Army.
Every young man who has reached
the age Of 10 years appears at his spe-
clal garrison For a full year he is in
Structed IN the Tudlmentary principles
OF soldiers trade. If he cares to en-
ter the special service of artillery. air
craft. or submarine work. he will have
10 spend one or two years more. In
that case, however he learns a useful
trade which will help his chances IN
his future work When he has been
taught his business he goes back into
private life. Except for a short annual |
he has nothing further 70 i
do with the military system until a |
sudden emergency shall call him back |
TO the colors
North Sea is Powerful Ally.
Holland can hope to accomplish /
great things with comparatively weak
forces. because il has an ally mightier
than steel or iron or high explosives
That ally is the North sea. The king
dom of the Netherlands is a mud bank
from the ocean. Open the |
likes which defend the land sgafnJ. !
he angry aggression of the sea ami 1
he country will disappear beneath
hree feet of water This excellent J
method OF defence vas known 20 our |
ncestors- II was first used in the |
ear 1872 In the month Of April in
evolutionists captured a small Dutch !
own named Brielle- The Spaniards
ried TO reconQuer it The Hollande-s
pened the locks of the Meuse. The
-ater came and the Spaniards went
a few years later the town of Leid-
n, situated in the heart of the coun-
~, was delivered from Spanish siege
y fleet Of catboats and flat bottom
scows sailing across an impromptu
Ike and storminE Spanish forts after
charge of swimming and wadins sail
IN the year 1915. when the new
ely reconstructed, il was decided ID !
Sc the water in a scientific fashion I
Or the defence Of the country. The
astern part, flat and covered with !
cath. was 10 be left open to invasion. |
he heart of the country, nine feet be-
w the level Of the sea. was 10 be
ingenious fortress
Old Defence Idea Continued.
At the present time the old idea has 1
cen continued with but small changes |
strong force of cavalry and infantry |
rovided with bicycles is left for the
efence Of this territory. These men
lust try and stop the invading power
S long as possible. It is Their duty 20
estroy all bridges and TO dispute any
tempt OF the enemy to cross the big
vers. Meanwhile the regular army has
.tired behind the system of fortresses ]
nd foundations. which are altogether
ssignated as the 'Waterline'
The 'Waterline' consists Of two
arts The first line of defence runs
ON the Zuyder Zee due south to the |
wer parts OF the rivers Meuse and
hine. II cuts off the provinces Of
'rth and south Holland. and half Of
e province of Utrech- 1t creates I
rye artificial lake from six to ten
lies wide which covers all roads.
mails. bridges, railroad tracks ami
IN many places where an attack
light be expected barbed wire fences -
We been constructed in such a fash
n that they will be completely COW p
ere are more than 30 little islands P
med with heavy guns. They cover
the roads which in normal times
oss this territory. and they know the 70
act range Of every foot of grouni er
r rather mud in the Waterline. -
Second Line of Defence. II
Behind this first line of defence | In
-etches the second one, which is the as
)st important 1t consists of another |
CUP of foundations and some IS for | pT
ications, and forms a broad circle OF III
fence for the town of Amsterdam of
ere the strength of the country has CO
en- concentrated and ever since the IN
ginning of the war every lock ana | 81
cry dixie has been guarded. Within | sc
< hours this territory would be ready Sc
resist an invasion. Within > hours W
ousands OF acres of the most fertile | co
azIng land would be covered with |
VI feet Of salt water. After a day Sc
d night neither man nor machine 50
uld cross the artificial sea surround IN
2 the heart Of the country. The much CO
7uId csuse big smash bnf would hi
no damage" IN