The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-28

The Hague, Netherlands, Aug. 1S-I The second anniversary of the mobi- lization of the Dutch army suggests a glance at thespresent position of Hol- land and the multifarious charges wrought Sby the great struggle still raging around her.
 The country has borne much in the uAst two years which a stronger power would not have suffered, but If has been preserved from the mis- eFies of war, and although vigilance H still the order of the day the Dutch nation now entertains a good hope uf preserving peace to the end That ,lts position is still perilous, however. the latest Orange Book testifies, and It is recognized that the ultimate peace congress may itself bring dan gprs in its train. It Is clear that nothing but direct act of war, or Rcuon tending to force the nation from its strict path of neutrality, will hking the Queen Sx her ministers to enter the struggle: in all other cases of restriction of Hollands rights and damage to her interests they are evi- dbntly prepared to content themselves With protestA
 For Queen Wilhelmina and the royal house the whole period has been an exceedingly trying one. Her Aatesty's mother. the popular Queen Emma. and, her consort. Prince Hen- " of the Netherlands, are of German hifth: and in other ways. not over- looking the close ties with Belgium. the deepest personal feelings of the House of Orange have been painfully a&xected by the events of the past two years. Nevertheless. an attitude of tds strictest correctness has been ad- Hered to throughout. Her Majesty has closely devoted herself to the re- fponsible work of State. She has 4Sequently tourSd the country on l3ilitary inspections. at which cere- 1e0nies she Is often mounted onl 6orseback- She has. moreover, talk 9ep the initiative In relief work. has petd many visits to various institu- lions engaeed in work in the Inter 45ts of soldiers or people, has headed EAr loans and relief funds has visit td and col1so1ed tho victims of the 4oods. ana has daily gone in and o< quietly anad unostentatiously| 4znong her people. The Queen is fre- 4H the morning walking down througij ! House In the Wood to the Palace, rel turning the respectful saiutations of her subjects snd occasfonally respond 1ng to the stiff military saiutes of IfAssing officers. A -ady of her suite N usually with her on such occasions while one giant Attendant walks some 2 &tstance behfnd The Queen Mother Hes lived in greater retirement, and lke Prince has devoted much of his &ttention to the Red Cross organiza- &lon. 4 So far Holland has borne the heavy burdens laid upon, her by the war re- n1Arkably we'll The maintenance of Emy of aquarter Of million men on &war fo&QHE and other extraordinarv {xpenditntc hHs so far cost a round 1nmt of $1S0.Duv 900. which money Frs been snnorarily found by two bfg loans and is soon to be tackled in earnest by the raising of special war Ieyies and q tax on war profits, which are expected to yield "a minimum of. e0,000 ,000.
 # The economic tussle between the Allies and the Central Powers is still gconsiderably embarrassing the cotu- try; while the food problem, patty growing out of big exports to Gef- 6any, has brought ministers no end
 = trouble and may land them in seri- Gus difficulties, for, once started on the road of artificial regulations, maximum prices. cheap government foodstuffa, export consents and the Ike. fresh and more complicated ida aptations are constantly called for.
 The two years mobilization has given Holland by far the largest and best-equipped army she has ever pos sessed. For limited conscription has been extended into what is in effect Universal compulsory service up to 30 years of age, and training of fresh troops has been going on continuous-f H ever since August. 1914. bringing he number of trained men in the @puntry (though only partly under
 Fms)s up ato fbetween 100000 and 100000. While large proportion of ehe younger men have been with the colors for the entire two years, the F1ief of the older men has improved the spirit in the army, and nothing fs heard now of the agitation and disorders which the seething discon- tent at one time brought about. The, Socialists in Parliament are profess edly in favor of partial demobiliza- ton. but 1t may be doubted whether they would have moved their motion 3n the Chamber to this effect few days ago if they had not known it would be defeated, for the continued extreme danger of the ,country's posi- NOn is as well known to them as to the responsible ministefg.
 The relations between officers and men is not so good as could be de- sired. In Holland such a class tie as that of sport has hitherto largely been lacking. Fortunately, sport in the army has received encoura cement from the highest quarters during these long months of mobilization. The Queen and the Commander-inl Chief were present in person at the Army and Navy sports at Amsterdam few days ago. while special bu- feau for the encouragement of sport has been set up under the direction If General Kleynhens and many Ssport leaders" are being appointed. 1eventy elevens took part in the foot ball competitions in the fortress of Amsterdam alone last season. while
 competitive marches and the like are not infrequent. Furlough is grant ed on a generous scale to heIp men to keep their business going.
 Coming to the Dutch Press. ona or two of the leading journals do not hide their pro-Allied or pro-German sympathies. In their role of judge of | -