The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-03-05
DUTCH FOR ALLIES
# THEY ENTER WAR
Netherlands Seeks To Avoid Hos
Titles But breads Nit
tefEuropa Idea

II Holland were forced to enter che
war because of being. caught in q nav
from which theie was no other escape
than to join one Of the sets Of bellig-
erents, abe would come out on the side
of Englsnd--meaning the Allies-be
lieves A. Wejgers, sugar planter of
Java who is q passenger on the Dutch
steamer Grotius, in port last night.
This answer from the Hollander, who
is returning to Java after a residence
of two years in his native country, was
gained after some reluctance had been
shown in making q direct reply, but
the reluctance was evidently due to a
desire 10 not appear unneutral rather
than 70 lack Of conviction regarding
his opinion.
INITIAL Europa Dread
What Holland would do in case Ger
many were able to carry out her Nit
tel Europa plans, by gaining strong
domination of Russia, then Finland
and eventually forcing Sweden and
Norway 70 come out as her allies was
what was asked the Dutch business
man. q
With some care he showed how Hol,
land would then be caught in a pinch.
er shaped jam with the armies Of the
Central Powers on two sides, the Allies
on another border, aud no free border
except on that part washed by the
North Sea.
"Holland does not want war. We
want to be neutral and we have tried
very hard to be neutral why should
we want war when the big guns Of
either Germany or England can shoot
half across Holland" he said thought
fully. ;,
trBut suppose Holland was event
ually caught, as some of the world
thinks Greece was, and forced to de
clare herself on one side or the other,
what would she dof'
only One Course
"Ah, that poor country II such
should happen she would come out on
the side Of England. She would have
to, aShes couldn't do anything else,
he replied, as if he had pondered long
upon this same subject but with the
attitude Of 4 patriot from n little
country which had seen much of war
and dreaded to see his own involved
Wejgers says that Holland has been
very, short of food since America en-
tered the war, but that the food con
ditions were improving when he left
there six weeks ago. A companion de
clared that at times in Amsterdam one
had TO live on q small piece of bread
and three small potatoes day, This
Weigers laughed ut saying il was the
imagination Of an always hungry man
who had found conditions to be as bad
as represented. =.
. As an example of high prices in Hol
land, Wejgers pointed to his shoes and
said they cost twenty five guilders, or
about ten dollars, in that country. The
same shoes he declared could be bought
in New York for FIVE dollars
Grows More Reticent
When Wejgers was questioned about
the ihternment camps in Holland and
the escaping of prisoners from Ger.
many he showed more precaution than
when asked about Holland stand IL
she was forced into the war.
Every time the word escaped" was
used, in phrasing n question about Al.
he'd prisoners escaping from Germany
he failed to understand the interroaa
ton, constantly emphasizing that il
soldiers either those of Germany or the
Allies reached Holland they "never
escaped from there. He persisted in
misunderstanding such question, due
to his knowledge of English and &C,
eepted such one, as rejecting on the
question of how Holland was maintain
ing her neutrality.
But of the Germans deserving from
the Teuton ranks and fleeing to Hol
land to escape from the war, he spok :
freely.
"The German deserters are coming
all the time Oh yes, we have a guard
on the borders, but what can we do
They come with their hands in the air
end cross the line before they can be
stopped. We cannot shoot unarmed
men seeking safety, although if they
are seen before they cross the line they
are turned back"
,MAcuINcTnN HoIn NoAnn