Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-24
WILL HOLLAND Be NEXT?

win Holland be the next country to feel the full force
Of German kultur? The tone. OF the demands just made
by Germany on the Netherlands makes such . thing APP
pear not improbable. Germany demands free transit
through Holland. not only for the vast quantities OF SAND
and gravel which are needed in her concrete construction.
but for military stores Of all other kinds. The demand
is put up in the fornSof IN uitinatum. and an ultimatum
means a demand accompanied by an. expressed or i'm.
piled threat. sssHA@ sSfgaS s.a
Holland, is in m exceedingly unfortunate position
on the one hand is Germany. with an immense army
waiting to step across the border. On the other hand
are the allies, who have the power to shut Holland off
from the foreign communication which is her very life.
A quarrel with either party would lead to very unpleas-
ant results.
We may be certain that the only reason why Holland
has not been invaded by Germany up to the present time
is that the German authorities have been unable to see
any advantage to them in such a course. Questions OF
ethics, Of the rights Of little nations, may be dismissed as
being beyond the comprehension OF the German war pow
err. The Belgian invasion was believed to have been adj
vantageous to Germany, therefore Belgium was invaded
Had the invasion of Holland been considered equally ad
vantageous Holland would have been invaded without
compunction.
The possession Of the Dutch coast you'd. it seems
be decidedly advantageous to Germany. There would be
additional means of access to the sea, and additional bases
for submarines. All questions of transit would be solved.
IL loohS
Two possibilities present themselves to account for
Germany's holding her hand. First, the Germans may
not feel sure Of their ability to occupy all Of Holland. and
unless it is all occupied it were better left alone. AS to
the ability of the Germans to enter Holland, and ulti-
mately to occupy all of II unless the Dutch are AIDED
there can be no doubt. But Holland is a little larger than
Belgium and nearly as populous. She has an effective
army of close to half a million men. 1t is not to be sup
posed that with a great wal going on at her very doors
for nearly four years, and with the prospect ever before
her of being Drawn into it. she has been negligent of her
military preparation. She could present a stiff resistance
to any force that the Germans could bring against her,
and when they approached the lowlands along the coast
the invaders would find themselves wallowins in morass-
es caused by the cutting Of the bikes which hold back the
waters of the sea. There is the possibility that the Dutch
armies could hold the invaders back from the coast long
enough to permit the arrival of aid from Great Britain
or even from America. If that were done. the Germans
would have weakened their position rather than strength
ened it, for they would then be exposed to attack from
a side where,.just now, they have nothing to fear,Jand
the Dutch ports, instead of being assets to the Germans
would become assets to the allies.
The other feature is a commercial one. Holland be-
ing a neutral country, her ports are open to the commerce
of the world. Her commerce has been hampered, it j:
true. without rhyme or reason, the Germans have sunk
Dutch ships on the open seas when those ships were not
travelling in the interest of Germany. The allies. on thei,
side, have imposed restrictions on Dutch trade in orde,
to prevent Holland being used as a gateway by Germany
In spite Of the restrictions, it is certain that Germany has
received immense quantities of goods from abroad by wa!
of Holland, either as direct imports, or in the way of ship
ments Of domestic goods from Holland, the place o
which was taken by importations from abroad into Hol
land. That advantage would be destroyed by the occupa
ton Of Holland by German armies. Germany has doubt
less preferred to keep open this door, if only by a sn1al
c crack, to closing it by taking possession of the country.