Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-04
WOMEN IN THE WAR.
WlLHELMlNA. QUEEN OF THE
NETHERLANDS

Through every city and village in
Holland an inOriinate hustle and
furry is worrying among the scrupu-
lousy neat Dutch burgeoisie. Wives
and mothers are busy cleaning club.
by little Dutch lads ana iassies Till
faces shine ami wide blue eyes Ven
der what holiday is being put on the
calendar Merchants are casting the
Dutch colors to the winds and the
Dutch fleets and forts are beginning
TO fire heavy salutes.
As the people anxiously count the
guns of the Salutes child is born
70 the queen, IL is her first. and the
people are going into ecstacies for
the child will be heir 10 the Neither
lands throne.
Is il boy? The nation will con.
yulse itself with rejoicing over the
little prince.
Is ii a girl? A diScordant note will
manifest itself in the merrymaking
and the guns will fire only fifty-one
rounds instead of the one hundred
and five which will welcome prince
Forty eight, fortynine. fifty. fifty
one and they wait for the next
round All is suspense. viii the
guns fire again?
As the seconds pass and the guns
remain silent, the Dutch realize that
a girl has been born to the queen
1t was a girl who was heir 10 the
Dutch throne then-"only a girl.
Queen Wilhelmnas subjects now
look back on their disappointment
with a smile IF we had only
known they say I'VE understand
now that our feelings were at all
just They would not exchange
their sovereign for a king on any
account, for the Queen Wilhelmina
has proven monarch entirely to
the Dutch taste.
At the beginning Of hOstiities in
the great war the Netherlands were
placed in Il delicate pos
sition. The least favor, humanitar-
ian or tonerwise, shown to one of The
warning powers promptly brought
demands for reciprocal concessions or
favor from the opposing nations
The Queen recommended TO her
Cabinet that all the defenses of the
nation be modified The Cabinet, al
ways acting in conjunction with their
called all the defensive
forces to the colors. The country was
isolated from the warning nations by
a Dutch ring of steel The forts we're
manned and an electrified ring Of
barbed wire stretched practically
around the kingdom The Netherlands
troops were completely modified and
prepared for all eventualtes before
the armies Of the Powers were
brought up to war footing.
The Queen has refrained from all
ceremonial functions since the month
of August, 1914 All her officers and
advisors are met under informal con
ditiOns Consonant with her posi-.
ton she confines her mode OF living
to the utmost plainness
The Queens consort Prince Henry,
Is seldom heard from His personal.
ity is completely subordinated to the
overwhelming power of the Queen.
Not only does she keep up the right
spirit in her armies by appearing
among the troops on every possible
occasion, now here then there, at
parades, at military sport meetings.
at mimic warfare in camps and bar
racks and all along the frontiers.
even to the most distant outposts,
but she also finds time to encourage
by inspection on factories and work.
shops in all The industrial districts,
by visiting the shops in The Hague,
Amsterdam and Rotterdam
At the outbreak Of he war she
developed marvellous secret service
to trail English and German spies
She is honorary commanderin,chi
of the Netherlands army, and Is In
the saddle for hours at a stretch She
wears an officers uniform and rides
a3trde.
When the United States entered the
war the Queen Of the Netherlands
took a firm grasp Of the relief work
in the occupied portions OF Belgium
and directed a number of Dutch stu.
dents to prepare to FIJI relief commit.
tee positions. Before this the Neither
lands harbored Belgium refugees to
the number Of 100000.
At the Dutch naval manoeuvers In
September, 1916. she reviewed her
fleets from submarine and twice
went down for several hours
French women shrug their shout
ders in despair when they contrast
the frocks and hats queen might
wear with those actually worn by the
Dutch Queen Her garments are All
designed for comfort IN preference to
effect.
She Is reported to have stated at
the conclusion Of the late army man.
oenvers' Il intend TO carry always in
my heart the words of my beloved