New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-26
BIG GERMAN ARMY
AT HOLLAND LINE
Troops Tntrenched, Ready
for Order to Strike
at Dutch
U-BOAT TEUTON IDOL,
OBSERVER DECLARES
People Rely Upon Them to
Weaken Entente on the
Western Front

London, Feb. 25.-Lste and accurate
information regarding the so-callcd
German threat on the Dutch frontier
and economic and other conditions in
Germany has been obtained by the Rot
tordsm correspondent of "Ghc London
Daily Mail"
ut is perfectly true" Says the IN
TO; mant, who had just returned to Hol-
land from Germany, "thst the towns
and villages near the Dutch frontier
are crowded with troops. For instance,
Emmerich, which usually has had 300
men, now has three regiments. But |
have seen and spoken with many OF
these men and also with their officers.
They arc not fighting troops, but most
~ old men and second class troops.
They are a rotten lot, but very numer-
Gus.
az asked why on earth they were AL
ways doing trench digging and making
all sorts Of preparations. Usually !
was told that they were intended partly
to suppress smuggling and partly 70
protect the German frontier IN case OF
invasion by England. This conecntra-
ton Of troops has, however, led 20 an
expression Of hopes by the ordinary
civilian population and by some SOL
diers that they may be intended 10 IN
wade Holland
Say Holland Leans to England
"The people believe devoutly that
Holland sends ten times as mucn 1000
to England as TO Germany, and since
they know what huge quantities 20 10
Germany you can see how they REGARD
Holland az a country simply blocked up
with spare food Everything you get
in the provision shops IN German towns
seems 10 be Dutch. and you get very
forciblc illustration of the extent OF
smuggling. IL is all nonsense TO say j.
is Of no real importance. though, OF
course, the prices OF smuggled soous
"Now, about the Hste of health of
the people. watched the children
fairly closely for a time. They do not
look thin. but there is a striking look
Of listnessness about them. Among
girls Of fourteen 10 twenty you notice
that the eyes are fiat and have no
sparkle and that the whole attitude is
listless and lifeless. Despite denisls, !
know that the death rate is very hign,
and the reason is that II illness or dis
ease gets hold of a person there is no
strength or stamina left 70 throw 1t on ;
consequently, despite German medical
science and precaution, quite harmless
illnesses frequently take fatal turn.
with regard to public spirit. ] was
in Germany until after the new sub
marine campaign started. Frankly, the
Germans generally, both military and
civilian, with whom / talked think OF
the submarine less as means OF
achieving final victory than of securing
peace.
U.Boat Is National Idol
"But they made gods OF the U-boats.
They consider them sure TO isolate
England. ! frequently pointed out to
the Germans that England has daily
some 300 ships At sea. and even sub
marines cannot sink all; but they al
ways replied: Yes, if England has 300
ships at sea we shall sink all, and
within two months England also will
have nothing more TO cat
They believe the widest legends
about submarines. Thus | was serious
ly informed by a grave and perfectly
serious person that Germany launched
100 submarines on one day. They dis
believe that the Bremen was sunk or
lost. At Christmas time 1ietz's big
stores at Cologne had a great window
display of huge dolls showing the ar
rival Of the submarine Bremen at Ham
burg Now that was not the Bremen,
but the Deutschland.
~ was told that Munich as we'll as
Dresden is closed 70 foreigners.
people are frankly sick Of the war,
and even among the soldiers and junior
officers and non-commssioned officers
with whom ! often talked, the only ones
who show any war keenness are those
who have not yet been to the front.
But the general talk IL all of the
great German attack on England. They
say the crisis OF the submarine CAM
paign is 70 coincide with a great Ger.
man attack on the Western front, the
idea being that just at the crisis OF the
fight in the West the submarine CAM
paign will cut short the supply OF am
munition 10 the British front in France.
Naturally there is much discomfort,
but there is no rioting, for the follow
ing reason: The system OF police es-
piogsge and information by amateur
sries is amazing. II a disconnected
person begins murmuring he or she is
seized and taken before magistrate
before he has time 10 do more than get
the discriminating words out Of hls
mouth