Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-30
''Dro,pned Land Better
Than Lost One" Say
Burghers of Holland

Ii has been asserted by Dutch Off
fully aware that had Germany made
war against France and England as a
result of the Agadir crisis in the sum-
mer of 1911, not only Belgium but Hol-
land also would have been invaded.
There are said to be plans in the pos
session of the German general staff
for an attack upon England from the
Dutch coast.
That the plan of 1911 was not ex-
ecuted in 1914, is said to be due to the
fact that the German military strateg-
lists gave way to their colleagues the
tactictans, who pointed out that not
only could no excuse be found for at
lacking Holland, but that the latter had
really served Germany in making
large concessions to the Vulkan Com
pany in June 1914 for an extensive
plant at Vlsardingen, near Rotterdam,
(Only 10 miles from Harwich), and
that in political and commercial
sense. as well as in military one it
would be we'll to keep Holland as a
neutral barrier until such time as the
new Vulkan yards at Vlaardinger could
be awaited Of
Germany has all along believed that
the Dutch would be too much occupied
with feeding the German armies and
supplying German ornaments to think
of opposing by arms their best Gus
| toner. From the very beginning of the
war however. the press Of Holland ,as
well as the government itself, in long
series of diplomatic exchanges has
taught Germany otherwise.
| The war caused a great dislocation OF
Dutch industries and an extra expense
to the government which up to June
1917, had averaged 35,000000 year.
| To several interpretations made in the
| chamber as to whether the Dutch army
was adequately prepared, the general
headquarters issued memorandum
which opened with the words:
Though it is inadvisable to make
public information which might benefit
possible future enemy, there is nc
| objection to furnishing data which viii
convince Dutch soldiers that they car
face the prospect Of war with con
| fdence.'
| If their country were attacked from
! Germany. engineers who know Holland
and it's history, say there is no doubt
that the Dutch would open the dykes
and flood certain tracks which lie below
sea level in order to secure protection
| in North Holland.
| There are two main lines of inunda-
ton. The advanced position TOWARD
| Germany is known as the Grebbe line
and extends from the Waal, across the
Rim, thru .Amersfoort to the Zuidel
Zet
The other and by far the more i'm
portant. line runs frem MS!dsn Oh tht
Zuider Zee, thru Utrecht and Kuil-
enburg to Gorkum, on the Mas. Al
this tract of country can be flooded by
sections, and when the waters were
spread over the face of the land Il chair
of forts, brstling with guns. would be
left sticking out like islands to repel thu
invaders.
| In that case the whole OF the north
of Holland would be turned into vast
island from the Mas to the forts O
| the Helder, at the narrow entrance t.
the Zuider Zee If necessity arose, grea
stretches Of this island could also b.
Hooded by breaking down the seawarf
dykes TO which Holland owns her yerl
existence, The sacrifice would d
| great, but tha Dutch press has recent!
tbeen saying "Lieyer bedcrvsn dar
yerloren land"--Bstter drowned lant
than lost one. a