The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-02-07
HOLLAND MENACED
By IMMINENT FAMINE
Existing Grain Stocks Sufficient for
Only a Few Weeks-Looks to
United States.

AMSTERDAM, Feb. 7.-Anxiety con
corning Holland s future is more keen
than at any time since the outbreak Of
war.
Several factors contribute to the
gravity of the situation. In the first
place, Holland is now facing starvation.
She can never produce more food than
would suffice for her population for
four and half months III the year and
the existing stocks of grain are only
sufficient for few weeks.
Until Yesterday hopes were enter
tanned that she would be able to pro
vision herself from America by the
channel between the two blockade
zones. The Germans made a great show
of making concessions to Holland, but
il is pointed out here that the latest
German assurances leave much to be
desired. Germans say that relative Ger
taintv viii exist from Feb and alb
solute certainty from March that
their warships will not attack neutral
ships without search. The Dutch de-
duction from this is that the relative
security of which the Germans spea
is likely TO be rather small, as, appar-
emily all the German war vessels now
at sea will not receive the new instruc-
tions before March ).
! Even If security were complete, it
would seem that America must cease to
be source OF supply, as now appears
inevitable if the United States enters
the war, because in that case the Ger
man objection to Dutch trading with
British ports would presumably apply t
American ports as well.
| | learn on excellent authority that thu
Germans have given Holland to under
stand they are animated with friendly
feelings toward her and do not wish Il
: cause her unnecessary Inconvenience
The Dutch are most anxious to beliey'
these assurances, and Will rejoice i
thew find them we'll founded. They d.
not see how the Germans hope to gail
! by attacking Holland, whore food SUP
l plies are so small that they would no
! repay an attack. Certainly the Dutch
: who have surrounded many difficultie
t during the war, will leave nothing IN
Y done TO preserve the peace. Consistent
: " with the maintenance of their ma
s tional honor they will carry the polio
of cancellation TO the furthest limit:
= At the same time il is impossible t
5 ignore the elements Of danger whic
q exist The Dutch are uneasy regardin
+ persistent rumors that German trooI
o are concentrating on the eastern frol
J. tier. Whatever may be the truth abou
. them, they undoubtedly cause anxiet
II in view of the situation occasioned b
> the new submarine measure OF desper:
, ton. If +" mistakes al sea occur,
! Dutch grain ships are sunk, il will /
: impossible to foresee the consequence
:. Dutch opinion, however long sufferin
= is not without its limits, and il is pc
J sible that these might be reached /
some such incident.
u Meanwhile il is hoped that the &c
mans will not proceed TO the extren
y lengths intimated in their note
le the best informed Dutch commerce
Is circles, which have many relations wi
rs Germany and probably are capable
n Judging the situation as well as II
k one, the German menace is consider,
h. three quarters bluff and one-quart
n danger. 1t is further thought that Il
Of new policy is dictated by imperious 4
lg mands of domestic politics.
lie In this connection il is worth notil
that evidently the best intellocts
as Germany regard the whole step as Il s
g gantic and irreparable blnnder, thou,
AZ they are obliged to accept the aecol
NJ plished fact