Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-30
Dutch IN R|OT|NG
ASK FOR POTATOES
English Declare They Must Re-
ceive the Same Amount
as Germans.
BY w. j. l.. KIEHL.
Especial Correspondence of The Star
and Chicago Daily NeMs.l


THE HAGUE, Holland, July 2O.-The
lack of potatoes for Holland while
large quantities were being shipped
out of the country burst out in Rotter-
dam recently when it was learned that
oarges had arrived with potatoes for
export to England. The potato ration
Tor Holland lately had been reduced.
and during the last few weeks scarcely
had been obtainable. So when word
was passed out that the peoples food
was now to go out of the country he
tore the people themselves had been
satisfied, the mobs became furious and
stormed and plundered several barges
before they could be hauled away to
safe quarters
The ministers in parliamept WAVE in
terpeilated about this export and the
following explanation was given:
Holland is bound by treaties to ex-
port 70 per cent of its potatoes to Ger
many and % per cent to England. The
other 90 per cent, which is ample to
cover all national requirements, is for
home consumption" A day or two
later the British legation at The Hague
sent out communications to the press
wherein the export appeared in q
somewhat different light.
What England Asks.
From the explanation it appeared
England did not in any way Insist on
getting its share of % per cent unless
Germany insisted on getting its % per
cent share; in which case the treaty
PROVIDED that the export to England
was to precede export to Germany
so" the communication added, 1.-The
Dutch government has the matter in
its own hands. If it wishes to keep
all the potatoes of the old and new
pie, it is quite at liberty to do SO as
far as England is concerned. only in
case Holland insists on exporting DO
tatoes to Germany England will Insist
make food difficulties for the Dutch
but only to prevent the feeding on a
large scale of Germany by Holland"
When this became generally known
the anger of the populace turned
against Minister Posthuma and par
TALLY against the capitalists and big
exporters. who. as the mob puts 1T. are
making money out of the starvation
of their own countrymen and com
patriots.
In Amsterdam about 5000 persons
mostly women, were having a potato
hunger parade in quite an orderly man
ner. when a little Incident reused their
anger. In moment a house was
stormed and a shop plundered. Then
the paraders ran to the vegetable mar
ket and stormed some warehouses and
divided the plumber. Then they heard
of the potatoes for export, and some
mdrcneu TOT the bargeS and some for
the trucks on the railway embankment
Three Killed in Streets.
In a moment three trucks were emp
tied Of their contents. and while the
people were busy fighting for their
share the police, who had requested
military assistance, hauled untouched
trucks of potatoes to a safe distance,
and when the military arrived they in
terposed a strong Gordon between the
people and their prey. Gradually, as
every man, woman and child had sue
ceeded in getting aprons, caps and
pockets full of potatoes, the crowd re-
tired, but after a while more and other
people passed. and as they were re-
turning from their work and the tenn
per of the mob assumed a threatening
character toward every regular fight
ing man going to the labor quarters,
Kattenbury, the Gordaan and the is
land, trucks were hauled by the SOL
diers, barricades were thrown up and
several times police and military had
to charge the mob in order to compel
them to remain in the laboring quar-
tiers and keep them from further dep
relation. Here and there companies of
soldiers were obliged to fire on the
people and three deaths resulted