The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-03-10
IS one BIG
SKATING RINK
Every Lake and Canal in Holland Is
Now Frozen as Hard as C0bbled
Streets.
(Bv Associated Press)

The Hague, Netherlands, March 10
Holland is at the moment one big
skating rink. From sovereign to
humblest peasant, from aged grand
mother and grandfather to the tiniest
toddlers, the nation is gliding serene
ly, merrily along on skates.
In striking contrast with the last
three or four mild winters, a most in
tense and continuous cold spell has
set in,- and despite brilliant sunshine
from clear sky every lake and canal
in the land Of canals is now frozen as
hard as the cobbled streets. Even
the big North Sea Canal leading from
the sea to the port Of Amsterdam is
only being kept open by icebreakers.
Many of the islands are islands no
longer, and travellers passing to and
fro, instead of booking their steam
boat passages, buckle on their skates.
The mail is even being conveyed to
the famous island of Marken, on the
Zuyder Zee, by the same means. One
can 60 from the Hague to Amster-
dam, to Rotterdam, to practically any
part of the country on skates. The
countryside, ordinarily SO deserted
and quiet, on the Sabbath in particu-
lar is dotted everywhere with fleet
ing Hollanders of all ages; and in the
towns themselves he who will need go
no farther than the canal just outside
bis door to indulge in the pastime.
The lakes outside the royal house
in the wood at the Hague resemble
nothing so much as a fair, with their
stalls and seats and barrows and end
less kaleidoscope crowd whirling with
joined hands, sometimes in chain fash
ion. On the big rink of the Ice Club
nearby may be, occasionally seen the
Queen herself, on skates among the
throng, for skating is decidedly
democratic sport. Private brushes
shoulders with officer, indeed, Fris-
ian soldier was Mortified day or two
ago to recognize a general in the
skater he had accidentally overturn-
ed.
Down in the children's corner at the
Ice Club rink is the little seven year
oid Princess Juliana. Mounted on
Tristan skates, she glides and shuf-
iles and slips among the other small
krabbelaars" ("scratchers" or "scrp-
ers") as the beginners are dubbed.
Glowing with health and laughing
heartily at her own and her compan-
ions comical efforts, the little heiress
goes up and down the run, Queen Will
nelmina occasionally coming to watch
her progress.
1t is in the Friesland that the fam
ous eleven towns tour and race har
Just taken place-one Of innumerable
races and fgure-skating and other
competitions Of all kinds that are TAX
ing place in every part Of the coun-
try. The tour dates back to anti
suity. That the Frisians used to take
l26-mile skating trips in the dim past
when ox-ribs served them as skates,
seems a little improbable, but the
eleven towns' tour is certainly very,
very old, and has become a Frisian
institution that 10 the subject Of in
Vulnerable family traditions.
The modified troops Of Holland
nave been carrying out various ex-
ercises and competitions on skates,
Tor the army authorities consider II in
the country's interest that tho men
= shall be thoroughly 1t home on the
ice. The problem Of Hollands de-
OCCASIONALLY bassd, u it 10, on
the method of flooding 1 certain pro.
u iff ~ 80,