Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-04

modified since July of the year 1914.
But in a general way we can state that
every male being in the country who is
of good physical condition and who
can walk with a gun across his shoul-
ders has in some direct or indirect
fashion given part of his time and his
services for the benefit of his country.
The old law, which made an exception
for only sons, was rescinded several
years ago. The Napolenic system,
| which allowed rich young men TO buy
themselves out of the army has been
abolished. The army is now a demo-
cratic school, in which classes are
thrown together for one common pur-
pose.
Every young man who has reached
the age of 10 years is at his special gar
risOn. For full year he is instructed
in the rudimentary principles of a sol
dier's trade. If he cares to enter the
special service Of artillery aircraft, or
submarine work, he will have to spend
one or two years more. In that case,
however, he learns a useful trade
which will help his chances in his fu-
ture work. When he has been taught
his business he goes back into private
life. Except for short annual man
euyer, he has nothing further to do
with the military system until a sud
den emergency shall call him back to
the cOlors.
Holland can hope to accomplish
great things with comparatively weak
forces, because it 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
conquered from the ocean. Open the
bikes which defend the land against
the angry aggression of the sea and
the country will disappear beneath
three feet of water This excellent
method of defense was known to our
ancestors. 1t was first used in the
year 1872. In the month of April in
that year number of starving Dutch
revolutiOnists captured a small Dutch
town named Brielle. The Spaniards
tried to reconquer it. The Holland
ers opened the locks of the Meuse The
water came and the Spaniards went.
"A few years later the town Of Leid-
en-, situated in the heart of the country,
was delivered from Spanish siege by a
fleet of catboats and f1at-bottomed
scows sailing across an impromptu
laf1e and storming Spanish forts after
a charge Of swimming and wading
sailors.
I'm the year 1915, when the new
kingdom of the Netherlands was def
nitely reconstructed, it was decided 10
use the water in scientific fashion for
The defense of the country. The east
ern part, fiat and covered with heath,
was to be left open to invasion. The
heart of the country, nine feet below
the level of the sea, was TO be turned
into an ingenious fortress.
AT the present time the old idea has
been continued with but small
changes. A strong force of cavalry
and infantry provided with bicycles is
left for the defense of this territory.
These men must try and stop the in
vading power as long as possible 1t
is their duty to destroy all bridges and
to dispute any attempt of the enemy to
cross the big rivers. Meanwhile the
regular army has retired behind the
system of fOrtresses and foundations.
which are altogether designed at the
WateTline.'
The 'Waterline' consists of two
parts. The first line of defense runs
from Zuyder Zee due south to the low
e. parts of the rivers Mouse AMI
Rhine. 1t cuts off the provinces of
north and south Holland, and half OF
the province of Utrech. It creates a
large artificial lake from six TO ten
iiiAitS " lNt' NHA1n bONNi5 an ROAD "a, I
canals, bridges, railroads, tracks and /
fences.
I'm many places where an attack /
might be expected barbed wire fences |
have been constructed in such a fash /
ion that they will be completely coz !
cred by water. At irregular intervals !
there are more than 40 little islands !
armed with heavy guns. They cover all !
the roads which in normal times cross !
this territory, and they know the exact /
range of every foot of ground Tor /
rather mud) in the waterline.
Behind this first line OF defense
stretches a second one, which Is the /
most important. Ii consists OF another
group of foundations and some As
notifications, and forms a broad circle
of defense for the town of Amsterdam
Here the strength OF the country has
been concentrated and ever since the
beginning OF the war ever lock and
every dixie has been guarded, Within
six hours this territory would be ready 1
to resist an invasion. Within 10 hours |
thousands of acres of the most fertile
land would be covered with |
four feet OF salt water After a da,,
and night neither man nor machine
could cross the artificial sea surround
Ing the heart OF the country. The much
dreaded shells of the heavy siege guns
would cause a big splash. but would
10 no damage"