New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-12
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Having been in this country for
a few weeks and having followed European
and war reports as closely as possible, 1t
strikes me very forcibly that the items con-
corning Holland are very few and far be-
tween and that they show lack OF interest IN
the internal affairs of Holland, and that, con-
sdering the extreme Importance OF Holland
geographically, and therefore strategically,
especially as regards the Western front, the
candid views of Holandcr might be Of some
interest to the American public.
The situation in Holland up to now has
been as follows: The government has been in
a constant state of dignihed though nervous
neutrality The Prime Minister, Mr.. Cort van
der Linden, is an old man, extremely set IN
his views, and up to now has constantly held
to the view that Holland ought TO keep out OF
this war His policy can be thus summs-
rized
l. Holland has declared herself neutral up
to the point of attack by any Of the beiIiger-
ents.
9. The material losses, the misery, the loss
Of life incident to entering the arena would
make the country suffer beyond its capacity
3. Entrance into the war might involve up
rising or resistance by the lower classes
The first reason is the only one publicly
admitted. The government once its decision
was published, will with an obstinacy truly
Dutch stick to it through thick and thin. It's
word can be depended on, thank God! but a
change, a justified change, of opinion on the
strength of altered circumstances generally
only takes place in Holland after the oppor-
tunity has gone.
The second reason is generally recognized
as the outcome Of German pressure and unof,
fetal threats, but never officially enlarged
upon.
The third reason lives only in the minds OF
few who doubt the spirit Of the people
Will they fight?
Dutch Hate Prussian Regime
believe they will I believe that the people
as a whole hate any semblance 70 the Prus-
sian regime worse than anything on earth'
ANY encroachment on the Holland sense OF
personal liberty Is resented with hrmness'
ANY American travelling in Holland knows
the unrestrained behavior of the boy in the
street" It originates in this misplaced sense
Of personal liberty, in this instance lack OF
manners But II this feeling could be brought
to expression by common cause against the
German invader have no doubt they would
fight, and with Consciousness recalling the
longest war in history, our eighty years war
with Spain.
Germany wants our land and ports, II not
in this war; then after. Treitschke, Bernhard,
Tannerberg, the All-Deutsche Bund. the pan
German programme, all say so with amazing
cardor But up till now anybody outside Of
Germany who read these opinions, highly I'M
portant in Germany, considered them as
Chauvinist vaporngs ignorant OF the TACT
that the German government-paid professor
writes these things with the covert or open
encouragement of his government and that
utterings Of the kind are gospel and creed TO
all the sheeplike following Of the tremen-
dously numerous membership of patriotic
leagues in Germany. For German to con-
slider them as vaporings and say so would
mean direct or indirect charges OF leze-
majesty.
The only reason why Germany so far
in this war has respected our territorial In
tegrity is that we are extremely useful to her
First-As a market in which to buy all the
aoricultural products we can or will sell. For
this a Zentrale Einkaufstelle central buying
Office has been established IN me hague Dy
the German government. The prices 1t pays
or is willing TO pay, in combination with the
Netherlands policy Of giving export pre-