The Pulaskian., 1919-06-13

of the underworld, now real menace
in the economic and civic life of the
Netherlands
The same spirit of disregard of the
conventions that obtains throughout
the country, as far as the rights of
others is concerned. obtains in the ma
TONS parliament-the Staten Cen
eraal Ultra boIshevistie members oc-
cupy seats in the lower chamber and
openly advocate doctrines which, a
year before the war began in 1914,
would not have been listened to by any
self-respecting Dutehman. The self-re-
specting Dutchman must listen to
these doctrines now, for they are
preached on every street corner, from
the forums and from the platform of
the governing body, whenever the
radical wing gets a chance to give
voice to its sentiments.
Blocked at the Frontier.
The government does everything hui
manly possible to prevent the influx of
the radical element from Germany
and every day dozens of would-be in
truders, be they bolsheyist or Sparti-
Gus, are turned back at the frontier
with the admonition to go East. But
many slip through with the result
that this formerly quiet, orderly land
is fast being poisoned by the seed of
violence that has been planted in its
In do a
one-time kaiser entered the country as
a refugee and the one-time crown
prince took up his involuntary abode
on the Island of Wieringen.
There is enough of the regular army
left to prevent any serious concerted
movement by the forces of the mall
contents, especially as they are not
organized and no leader has yet put
in an appearance. The police in the
various districts, too, still observe the
street discipline of the pre-war days,
although they have not been very sue
cessful in stamping out the lawless-
ness that is everywhere evident, they
are. at least, holding the unruly ele-
ment in check and, to certain de-
gree. holding it in awe of municipal
authority.
The principal hope of the better
educated class of Hollanders lies in
an early restoration of the regular
channels of food Importation.
Now Land of Unrest.
Just now the Hollander is anything
To x.yil1 drnn To- oY
mer. his shovel, his hoe or his churn-
ing handle at the drop of a hat or
the whisper of a labor agitator. He
imagines that he is the under dog of
every man who possesses a nickel
more than he does.
From land of calm, peaceful,
seething quiet, Holland has changed
into a land of unrest. 1t oozes out of
the very ground at every step enc
takes. Lack of grains keeps the grist
mills idle, which consequently fail to
proyide work for those who might be
induced TO take up the broken strands
of their tasks and don the snow white
of the miller for the blue of the sol
der.
Stagnation in shipping, owing to the
restrictions placed upon the country
by the allies, has had its natural eff
feet upon Hollands inland waterways
commerce, with the result that thou
sands of men who were employed
along the numerous canals, beth as
boatmen and tow drivers, before the
war. now find their vocations gone.
This is another important industry
which, if it could resume its normal
proportions, would greatly reduce the
number of the unemployed.
Over everything, however, looms the
one large fact that the formerly cor
rect Hollander could so readily be
changed into a man with criminal In
stincts and to such an extent as to
make the entire country, practically,
q burglars paradise.