Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-11-18
SIGNS OF THE AGE

News from Holland during, the last few days indi-
Gates that the restlessness which is widespread in Ger
many and Austria. has reached at last the peaceful land
Of the Dutch, and that the cry of revolution has been
raised among various sections of that proverbially
phlegmatic nation. One explanation of this phenomenon
was said to be that Queen Wilhelmina had been more
courteous to the former emperor Of Germany than was
compatible with the honor and the interests of Holland,
and that the fallen monarch who at present is enjoying
the right Of asylum in Dutch domains is a parsonage of
such character that it i'll behooves the government to
even be hospitable to him.
That was one view-and apparently it did not apply
satisfactorily to the situation as it is now developing.
1t must be remembered that the queen Of Holland
is universally loved and respected by her countrymen,
and that even though she may have the authority to keep
the ex-kaiser outside the border lines of her country. she
would be violating ancient national traditions of hospital
iy whatever the attendant circumstances may happen
to be.
The reason for the sudden excitement in Holland
lies deeper. 1t indicates the presence of that disturb
Ing element of modern thought which has been sweep
ing over Europe during the last twenty months with the
result that throne after throne has fallen and crown after
crown is rolling in the dust: Emperors and kings of
great and small powers have had to yield to the pressure
not only of external enemies, but of that ever increasing
demand for self-government which rises in swelling
volume from the peoples of the earth.
In spite of the fact that the Netherlands government
and nation has been attempting to observe a most
scrupulous neutrality, and to avoid being involved in the
world conflict, there is a strong faint Of miltarism among
peoples of the dominating classes in that country. It is
against this group the present movement is directed.
Were the situation isolated, it would claim but slight
attention; but the fact is that the very same signs Of rest
essness are seen in all monarchies at the present time
What the ultimate result may be is not difficult to fore
tell, but even though the present forms Of government
still existent in several countries will be forced to assume
q more, democratic character, it seems probable that this
change will be made without any serious violence as far
Russia is still in the throes of a bloody revolution, and
what the situation in Austria Hungary is, no one here
seems to know definitely. In Germany it appears that
the saner elements among the revolutionists have the
orderly lines.
Judging from present tendencies, it looks as though
the days of even so-called benevolent monarchies have
been numbered. Some of them are quite democratic,
but the full fruits of real democracy can, of course, not
be reaped as long as men rule simply because they
happen to be born into a family of kings and princes.
The spirit of whole-souled democracy expands from
day by day in this age of swift changes. But it must
always be recalled that however fast the changes may
seem to be, they ara only the logical result of a slow
process of development along those lines which invar1.
ably lead to final and justified success.