The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-29
GERMANS STIR UP
DUTCH AGAINST Us
Take Advantage OF Distorted and In
adequate Reports Of Our Atti-
tude Reaching Holland.
SOME MAKE PEOPLE ANGRY
German Press Talks of "America's
1hunbscrcw' and WILSON'S Des-
potisn" Toward Neutrals.

press entirtngly endeavorS to fncitc
neutrals and especially Holland.
against the United States. This country
is unfortunately full of distorted re-
ports. coming mostly by roundabout
way, about the measures the United
Statey is taking or is about to take
against Holland. These are often vague
and inaccurate but with enough plausi-
! bility to cause bitter feeling against
Americans here end hostile press COM
ment.
! The German press welcomes and
exaggerates these reports, which 1t
publishes as actual facts, together
with editorials headed THE Neutrals
| Worst Enemy" Americas Thumb
screw" Wilson's Despotism," until
, the American government and Presi-
| dent Wilson appear as monstrosities
of despotism.
Even the Dutch press has lately
| awakened to the fact that these re-
ports have been painted In glazing
coiors, but no authentic information
lis available to them on the subject.
/ Indignation has been reused in Hol-
land by a report that en- American
paper, The Financial Commercial
World. in announcing the arrival of
the Dutch commissions In America
/ found a way of exerting its infiu-
ence by writing of the members of
the commission in German as Herr
Won Volenhoven and Herr Won Eelde"
One paper remarks that this Ia a
symptom Of how the American press
stimulates American feeling against
Holland.
The Hamburger Fremdenbiatt, I'M
der ths llnsoltine Holland under
! American rrewurs." asserts THAI
Americas VAR preparations continue
4 In bath military and economic direc-
| tions and TIM. furthermore America
| Is pr enuing ise ncutrats into military
| service and putting .,n the economic
thum bscrew. That piper argues that
this Is a sign that President Wilson
thinks that Americas strength is alone
further that Wilson's beau geste about
| freedom, ana Independence OF small
counties is nothing more than
/ Ihrase,. II insists that neutrals will
certainly not rive up efforts to OBJ
tain food supplies from America and
that Holland especially does not ap-
pear willing 10 bow down before Will
non without fight.
Tho FrWndanblatt argues that Hol-
| lhnd's Gootraphical position does not
force her TO Sc entirely dependent on
Wilson'S whims and that Van. Aaist' s
open letter to President Wilgon could
| not have BEEN pleasant reading for
The president. The paper publishes
the full text Of Van Aaist's letter to
! the president
Commenting OF, the United States
| war trade boards permission to the
steamship Nteuw Amsterdam to sail.
ahe semi-official Nieuwe Courant re-
marks that Wilson's government has
| apparently moi entirely forgotten what
Il pr a,c hed 70 bslligerents with regard
to neutrals when America was still
utral That paper suggests that
there 10 a possibility that even after
the poisoning OF American opinion by
| Lord Northcllffe the Dutch comnis-
sion mAie some head way, although
/ Che British csnsI,r did not allow news
to pass.
The paper continues by saying that
the British 1inEoes are anxious to pre-
| sent matter. "a II America had pur-
sued the policy which they themselves
| ad vacated.
| Commenting on the American am
| baseadors statement in London re-
| sarling the attitude of Washington.
! the. Nieuwe Courant says II Us clear
| that Americas export embargo Is in
| tended as a punishment for neutrality
| and Cor mt giving UP trade. with neu-
| trails as America orders and because not
| sufficient cata are available In Wash
| ington as TO Hollands consumption
| and production.
TN other words." it goes on. "Amer-
| tea will deliver food supplies II we de-
! liver ourselves up economically, bound
| hand and foot. to tie allies. and par
] ticuiarty to America"
Lrck Direct News of Us.
| The same paper remarks tonight that
| 1t In remarkable that no news agency
| has supplied Holland with what the
! American presy says about European
| events since America became a bel
f! ligerent. It adds:
! mo single important statement and
| 40 single fact has reached us In the
last few months for us to Judge
| American opinion. Does the news
| agency think that II no longer has any
propaganda value now that America has
| given up her neutrality Or are the
| censors at work.
| tt Is evident that the Dutch arc ex-
| tremeiy interested to learn what is
| happening in America and what Ameri.
:, can opinion is The Teiegraf tonight
| publishes long two column letter
| from a Dutchman IN New York, be-
/ ginning:
America will never be beaten: we
| do not fight the German nation. but
| the kaiser. and we will get HIM"
/ Practically no American papers are
! now arriving. in Holland.
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