Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-05-28
Holland and the E1-Ka1ser
From the New York Times. =

The Dutch government denied, on the four
teenth. that it had decided to surrender the
ex-kaiser for trial, as required by the terms OF
the peace treaty. There had been conflicting
reports about the action it would take IN re-
Spouse to the peace conferences request for
surrender of the extradition. which, the Dutch
legation at Paris says, was received at The
Hague on or before the eleventh William
Hohenzollern was still at Amerongen. hoping
that he could remain there during the summer,
or be permitted to occupy the Nettlehorst cas-
tie, which he bought for $2oO,OOO IN February.
With one or two exceptions the Dutch news
papers have expressed the disapproval of the
peace terms. A prominent journa! published at
Amsterdam argues against surrender OF the ex-
kaiser, saying that he could not have fair
trial before the proposed tribunal. 1t does not
expect that he will be taken by force, but tore
the displeasure of the allied powers.
Why should Hollands government or people
desire to protect this man and to prevent his
trial for "the supreme offense against interna,
tional morality and the sanctlty OF treaties:
Throughout the war Holland was bulied and
abused by the kaiser and the Berlin govern
ment. Scores of Dutch merchant ships, some
of them in hospital service were sunk by uer,
man submarines, which attacked and destroyed
even the fishermen's boats along the coast,
shelhng unfortunate victims while they , were
trying to escape on rats or in little skifts.
Many DutCH SHlpS were tlcu up III hohiS ~, -
by the kaiser's warning that they would be
sunk if they should 60 out. For the same rea7
son others were idle in our harbors tor long
time until they were seized and set at work.
The owning companies have received more tnan
$40000000 for the use of their property, but
the money, which has permitted payment OF
large dividends did not come from Germany.
Have the people of Holland forgotten the riots
in shore towns when bodies of murdered Usher
men were recovered and shown? Have they
forgotten their short ratons due to Germany S
demands for food supplies?
Holland needs foodstuffs, raw material, and
coal. Since the armistice she has been receiving
large quantities of these products from the
United States. Until December our exports to
Holland during the year 1918 had averaged less
than 100000 month. In December they rose
to $3842000, in January to $lO,736,OOO and have
since continued at about this rate In the tour
months beginning with December we sent to
Holland $23,000,000 worth Of breadstuffs,. H..
100000 pounds of cotton, 22,0OO,OOO pounds OF
cottonseed oil, and 100000 gallons of oil fol
fuel and fabrication. Manufacturers there are
getting $4,000 tons of coal month from Eng
land Belgium and this country. They want
10000 more and hope to increase shipments
from the United States If Holland should fe-
fuse to give up the ex-kaiser and should insist
upon keeping him out of court, she could not
reasonably expect that the United States and
England would be eager to fill promptly her
orders for coal and raw materials, which are
also needed in countries that are associated
with us in the war. She might be able to hold
and cherish the ex-kaiser, but he cannot keep
her factories at work and feed her people.