Evening star., 1923-03-18

namely, the one threatening Dutch
rule in the East Indies-the loss of
which would have meant far more to
the Meth erlands than the loss of the
entire empire of India, with its 300.-
100000 population. would mean to
Great Britain. Now. however, through
the statecraft and diplomacy of Jonk-
heer van karnebeek. to whom Queen
Wilhelmira so wisely intrusted the
mana cement Of the foreign affairs of
her kingdom some six years ago. the
safety of her colonial possessions in
the far east, is definitely guaranteed
and assured. and the Dutch can now
sleep on both ears without apprehen-
sion ~ distuI bance by any Of their
former nightmares.
x :: ::
Jonkheer van karnebeek accom-
plished this at the disarmament con-
ference at Washington, from which,
indeed he may be said to have car
ried away a very large proportion Of
the laurels. For, although Holland
was not invited TO the conference on
the same footing as Great Britain,
France, Italy or Japan, and was not
even invited to sign the treaty relat-
ing to the limitation of armaments,
the astute Dutch statesman, instead
of taking unnecessary offense. saw in
the role TO which he was reduced
freedom to take whatever measures
he deemed fit for the defense or Hol-
lands possessions in Asia and In Eu-
rope. So he obtained from Japan
formal official declaration that the
great island empire of the orient Is
firmly resolved to respect all me
rights of the Netherlands IN relatloH
to their insular dominions in the re.
gion OF the Pacific ocean, domlhioiis VI
incalculable wealth. and with reaIn
ing population of over fifty millions.
MOI content with this. van Karnebeek
further managed TO secure laeutlcal
pledges couched in almost the very
same words from the governments =.
the United States. OF Great brleaIn
and of France That Is 70 af,s and
triyed to obtain the full benents anu
adyantages Of the Washington con
ference treaty, without Delns SUI
iected to any of the limitations aIIu
obligations which the sisnatory pow
erv felt compelled to subscribe there-
in. :, =.
Nor was this the only post bellun
achievement of Queen Wilhelmlna anu
of her able councillor and minister Oh
foreign affairs. When the war came
to an end and the emperor neo In 80
Zen a manner from his troops at
the front to seek refuge in Holland,
national sentiment in all the allied
countries was insistent upon MS sur
render by the Dutch to suffer punish
ment for all the crimes laid at his
door. He was denounced as account
able for all the atrocities perpetrated
hv his armies in France, in Belgium,
in Serbia and Rumania, especially Tor
the ruthless destruction of private
nroperty, of public institutions. OF
churches, cathedrals and ancient land
marks spared by the many wars that
had succeeded one another throughout
ten centuries, and for the barbarous
violations of all the accepted rules or
civilized warfare. In Great Britain
a general election was actually fought
on the strength of a promise given
by the government of the day there
to hang the kaiser, while the least
of the penalties demanded for him by
the French was that he should be
Imprisoned for life in some far dis
tant island dungeon. They united in
denouncing him as an international
outlaw, this view being sustained by
some of the most eminent European
and American jurists.
But the Dutch government reso-
Iutely refused to surrender him to his
foes, declaring that while he was not
welcome and would be kept under
close surveillance while on Dutch soil,
Holland had never in all ner Centuries