Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-03-18
HOLLAND HIT
HARD BY WAR
Impression She Was Enriched
by It DispeIled by
Figures.
COST COUNTRY S477,7G7,OOO
All OF Her Industries Suffered, and
Much Was Sunk In Certain For.
eIgn 6onds-Suffered Most
Of Any Neutral.

New York. that uOl-
land became enriched by the war are
colnbated In pamphlet issued by -.
j. Steyn Parve. acting consul general
Tor the Netherlands, showing that, by
reason of Its geographical and eco
homie position, the pressure and evil
e!fects of the war were probably more
seriously felt there than in any other
reutral country.
On The mainland, the pamphlet says,
Holland was entirely surrounded by
territory in the hands of one of the
belligerents while the North sea, more
than any other. waterway, was part of
the war zone, AS the prosperity Of
Holland depends upon international
Intercourse, industries were choked.
large OUTLAWS were imposed in the
maintenance OF defensive army.
there was growing Unemployment and
the people generally suffered.
Shipping Shrinks.
In 1913 shipping in the ports of Hol-
land amounted to 36,229,OOO net tons
That volume shrank to 3,363,OOO tons
I'm 1913, Traffic in Amsterdam de-
creased from 1897 ships in 1913 to 37s
In 1918, and in Rotterdam from 1889
to 1,1Sl ships. Rhine tonnage dropped
from 1,l68,614 In 1913 to 49O,732 in
1918. Dutch foreign trade became en-
tirely dlsorganized. owing to restric-
tions enforced by both belligerents.
Import duties in 1918 amounted to
$5.447.o40. In 1918 they were about
S3.OO0.W0. and domestic trade suffered
by the reduction. individuals made
excess profits here and there. produc-
Ing crop Of the newly-rich, but they
thrived at the cost of an impoverished
country; and against these profits
should he rcckoned the loss Of 247,3 4S
tons of shipping, representing 22,3S
per cen, of the fleet of 1918,
Large profits came from agriculture.
In clay soil, In the first years of the
war. Sandy soil could not he cult.
waited. owing to lack of fertilizers, and
the r"quisitioning OF rye, formerly
used a. fodder. caused serious reduc
ton IN the number Of cattle. 1t was
necessary to kill off the smaller species
of live stock in order to save food for
the more valuable species. War condi
tiOns proved favorable to the fisheries
In certain periods. At other times
that industry was doomed to practical
inactivity. AS many as 1875 fishing
boats were sunk and many fishermen
persisted.
Dutch holdings of foreign securities
were affected. In 1918 the nominal
worth Of Russian bonds held i'm Hol-
land amounted to 1864 100 600 land ad-
ditional Netherland interest in Russia
represented value of $50, 800, 900, all
of which may be considered lost
Losses on securities of central Eurone
especially in Hungary, were very large
Owing to the limitation of imports
by the allied governments. many of
the Dutch Industries could work only
under heavily restricted capacity. 1t
was extremely difficult to obtain raw
materials. coal, oils and other articles
essential to the industries. which had
to shut down for varying periods, dis
missing their employees.
The Royal National Committee of
Assistance paid out 800, 423 800 from
August, 1914. to December 1918, to-
ward the support of persons made In
digent by the war. In the same period
the government allocated SLOT ,200,00O
toward expenses of the food supply
and S27, $4,000 to assist the needy and
to combat unemployment.
Cannot Be Expressed In Figures.
Disadvantages connected with keep
ing under arms all the able-bodied part
Of the male population for four years,
taking many Of them from their studies
or their regular productive work. can
not be expressed in figures. The most
important single item was that of the
cost of mobilization. which amounted.
at the end Of 1918. to $3.50. 500 600,
bringing the government expenses. due
to the war. 10 total Of SAIL. 1877 .OO8.
Nearly $180,OO0,OOO was raised by
direct taxes and 1852, 100000 was OBJ
tanned by loans Additional extraor-
binary expenses have already alb
sorbed $27 $4,000 and the debt must
inevitably be increased to pay off the
original loans in from twenty to
twenty-five years. AS a consequence
taxes per capita must be raised to
about $28.48 annually. an increase of
1853 per cent compared with 1918. The
amount now to be raised In taxes of
every kind may be put down at $780,
900. compared with $56,42O.OOO In
1918, ...
In the Dutch East Indies expenses
for the army and for government in
dustres involved an extra outlay of
S15,360, 900. while receipts from the in
dustries were SO, 10000 less than the
average for 1s1O-1913, and import du.
ties for 1915-1918 decreased by $14,-
100000 Charges for hospitality to
Belgian civilians. sheltered In Holland
at government cost came to $l1,300,-
900. If the shelter had been given to
informed soldiers payment would be
made for 1t, but the money spent for
the civilian fugitives cannot now or at
any time be. charged to the Belgian
government