New-York tribune., 1919-03-10

who had entered Holland to assist in
causing the revolt were arrested
there by the government following
discovery of the plot.
My informant declared also that he
had been informed that the Bolshevik
plotters had in advance passed sem
tence of death upon certain of the
bourgeoisie. This phase of the plot
stamped it as peculiarly Boishevik.
Failure Of Spartscans
Doomed Dutch Revolt
From The Hague the signal for the
the organized masses Immediately
upon announcement of Spartacan sue
cess in Germany. The Spartacan move
ment, however, was not success,
though for some days there was un-
certainty as to how much strength it
would develop. 1t was during this
period of uncertainty that the Holland
government took its first active steps.
All middle class men and all citizens
who could be depended upon were
armed and organized for eventualities.
During this period also it was posi-
Bile to increase the food rations
AS soon as it became certain that
Spartacan success in Germany was i'm
possible the leaders of the movement
lost heart in Holland, knowing that
success IN Holland would be impossi-
Bile without German backing. The Hol-
land government promptly began de-
mobilization Of a large part of the
army, and also issued stern orders
commanding all demoblized soldiers
to surrender their guns, an order
which applied to those demobilized in
the past as we'll as those demobilized
at this time.
There are three outstanding feat
ures that are of Importance to everv
civilized nation in connection with the
collapse of this plot, the first of its
KIND to be organized in a non-bellig-
erent nation:
An increase in the food supply
helped materially to lessen the ten
sion and take the spirit out of the
plotters, a fact of the utmost i'm
portance in the present world situa-
tion concerning food.
For the first time in modern his
tory the middle class was armed for
defence in class conflict.
Bolshevik drumhead death sem
tences passed upon members of the
middle and employing classes made
clear beyond dispute the Bolshevik
policy of violent determination of
all who are not of the proletariat,
as defined by themselves.
My informant told me the Socialist
and trade union movements, as such,
were opposed to the Bolshevik plot
though" he said, 81 believe that had
fighting begun both of these organiza
tions would have joined the revolution.
though perhaps against their own best
judgment. They would not have dared
remain out Of the conflict.
Only Russian Bolsheviki
Punished by Government
"Troelstra, the Socialist leader" he
continued, declared in Congress dur
ing the early days of the German revo-
luton that the time might come soon
in Holland when the minority would
take charge. He was compelled to re-
pudiate this statement at a Socialist
congress in Rotterdam later
"Oudegeest, the trade union leader.
whom we regard as moderate, was
opposed to Bolshevik uprising, though
he probably could not have remained
out of it if the plot had come to
head"
None Of the plotters, except those
who came in from Russia, was pun
ished, for the reason, my informant
said, that there had been no actual
outbreak and the government deemed
it sufficient to defeat the plan without
carrying retributive action to the point
of actual punishment.
81 believe the danger has been
Holland" my informant said. Il do
not, however, believe the measures so
far taken are a sufficient safeguard
unless we can secure in the immediate
future the raw materials necessary to
renew our industrial life.
Food Supply Insufficient,
Disease Rate Increases
Conditions have been bad with US
There has not been enough food. Our
disease rate has increased because of
this. Particularly has the tuberculosis
rate become higher, and also the in
fant mortality rate.
Wages have gone up--in many
cases they have been trebed but
while there is little actual unemploy-
ment there is, on the other hand, little
actual work Many firms are carrying
on their payrols their full stats,
though the plants are partly or wholly
idle. Some of these firms do this out
Of the profits made early in the war,
when it was still possible to get raw
materials. OF course, this cannot CON
tinue.
mot only Holland, but the whole