Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-15

be smoothed away when King Gus
tave comes to Copenhagen to meet
his two fellow kings who are very
closely related to him by ties of
blood.
OF course these efforts on the part
OF Germany to bring Denmark with
in her sphere and under her political
and economic domination have been
influenced to a considerable degree
by the treatment which Denmark re-
ceived at the hands of the peace con-
proposed and advocated by the
powers Of the entente assembled there
that the whole of Schieswig and of
Holstein-that is to say. the two rich
provinces of which Denmark was
robbed at the time OF the Austro-
Prussian invasion Of 1s64-should be
restored to her. and that, too. so as
to include the possession and the con-
troll Of the Kiel canal, which the
allies were unwilling to leave in the
hands of the defeated enemy. But
spacious arguments were advanced
to the effect that it would be impoS-
ing too great a burden upon so small
a nation as to expect her to under
take to defend and to hold the canal
against Germany which would be GER
tain in the event Of recovering her
strength to seek once more to secure
possession thereof. Indeed. the Ger
man press made no secret at the time
of their resolve to prevent at all
costs the canal from becoming alien
ated, and If alienated, from remain
ing in foreign hands.
So violent, indeed. were their
threats of revenge against Denmark
In the event of her accepting the
canal at the hands Of the. allies as
sembled at the congress of Versailles,
that her people grew doubtful about
frought with such burden of Teuton
resentment and hatred. The great
powers were bent upon devising a
peace of permanent character, and
they soon began to appreciate that
by turning. over the canal to Den
mark they were sowing the seeds Of
another and early war-this time be-
tween Germany and Denmark. There
is no doubt that Germany brought
every influence to bear upon the
emphasize this apprehension, and It
took so great a hold upon the con-
gress that not only did the powers
decide upon leaving the Kiel water
way under German management and
control. though misunderstanding it
also resolved to leave the entire
| duchy of Holstein to the German
reich and to have the fate of the
southern half of the province of
Schleswtg, including the important
seaport of Flensburg, decided by
means of a plebiscite. But Versailles
took no timely precaution to prevent
TINS plebisctte from being a fraudu-
lent one. Indeed. instead of being
undertaken at once, many months
were allowed to elapse and OF course
Germany, with her customary
| methods, awaited herself OF the op-
portunity to pour thousands Of her
nationals into the plebiscite zone. and
not content with crowding out the
Schleswig Danes, terrorized those who
showed an inclination to remain in
such a fashion that when the time
Tor voting came the plebiscite was
overwhelmingly in favor of Germany
and the Danish flag had to disappear
| from Flensburg.
When King Christian, aware Of the
means by which the vote In favor Of
Germany had been obtained. and In
Difference to the entreaties Of the
Danes OF Flensburg and Of southern
Schieswig, not to abandon them to a
continuation OF -Prussian tyranny,
proposed to resist the Teuton occu-
patton of southern Schleswig by force
of arms, until at any rate he had Sc
CURED a reconsideration Of the issue
zahle cabinet, then In power. and