Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-04
WANT PARLIAMENT
To HAVE SAY IN
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Dutch Socialists Ask Amend
ment of Constitution to Dr.
vide Responsibility in Inter
national Negotiations,
associated Press Correspondence

The Hague, Netherlands, March 90.
The desires of the strong body of So
cialists and others in Holland who are
constantly advocating closer parlia-
mcntary control of foreign policy.
have found their latest expression in
an address sent to the second cham
her of the Dutch legislature by the
National Committee for the Amend
ment of Articles $3.50 OF the Cunsti-
tuition (Which articles give the crown
the control Of the states foreign re-
lations and the power 20 declare war;
The Netherlands governments pro-
posals for the revision of the consti-
tuition will come up for consideration
in that chamber shortly. hence the
present petition, whose signators are
convinced Of the urgent necessity of
parliament having n say In the coun-
try's foreign policy with view to,
If not abolishing, at any rate lessen
ing the danger that diplomacy may IN
secret, and without control on the
part If parliament bring affairs In
regard TO foreign powers to n critical
point
I'VE wish to obtain the certainty.
they continue, that war shall not be
resorted to or prepared for and made
inevitable entirely without the knowl-
edge Of parliament" Although there
is apparently no prospect OF the OBJ
Iect of the address being at present
achieved il Is one more sign of the
direction in which the modern po-
itichl wind liz blowing in states both
in and outaide Europe
Ncxed Question Solved.
A partial solution OF the vcxed ques-
ton of secret diplomacy ana semi
mystical foreign policy has been
found In Holland In the institution Of
the parliamentary committee general
or private sitting of the chambers.
After assembling on two consecutive
days with closed doors. and hearing
statements from the ministers of the
crown on the international position
as il affects this country, the first
chamber of the state general or Dutch
parliament has followed the example
of the second chamber and, through
the mouth Of speakers of different
parties, endorsed the foreign policy of
the government. 1t recognizes, as did
the sister chamber after Il similar sit
ting held a short while since, that the
position of the Netherlands is still a
highly perilous one and that, great as
is the burden thrown upon 50 com
paratively small country. the mobil-
lied forces of the realm cannot yet be
reduced. II also agrees to paying a
tribute to ministers for the manner
In which they have maintained the
country's neutrality
There Is perhaps no body of poll
ticians which is as a whole more crit
zeal of secret diplomacy than these at
The Hague, and who are more jealous
of their power to decide in the ulti-
mate resort the country's policy and
the government has found Itself COM
PEELED from time to time in the past
eighteen months TO set the facts of
The situation more or less freely be-
fore parliament in these committees
general in order to preserve It's sup
port. All the ministers attend such
private conferences, but what they say
never reaches the outside world. In
every case so far, too these Intimate
slttings have fully achieved their OBJ
iect In silencing criticism and rallying
the peoples representatives round the
Roveinment In these difficult times.