The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-12-27
HOLLAND ENDS
 YEAR OF MAN Y
 ACHIEVEMENTS
Country United on Policy; FOur.Year Economic
 Crisis Passes
ny M. e. HUFFMAN

Dy M. c. huuRNlAN
 tunited Rrsss stan COFFeapondentD
 AInsterdoIn. Dec. ga. (UP)--Thls year was one 0s the brightest for Holland since the ArmlstiCe.
 After four years the economic crisis came to an end,
 General elections showed that the country was behind the policy of economy inauwurated by Doctor C0lipn.
 The Countrys trade balance bee came increasingly favorable.
 The successlon to the throne was assured by tho marriage of popular Princess jullaFa, only daughter 0i queen WilhelminA, to Prinuee Bern' tagd von LIppo-B Blesterfeld on Jan, q. pEincess JllianA announced over tha radio that she was expecting khe birth Of child.
 'Ft Army Needs MedeFnlRatl0n
 The black spot in the year was the need for the niodeFni1ation of ! tila army As . result Of tho rearms aTnent of the major European pows era. The building Of the Maginot line along tho eastern French Iron" tier and the line of Belgian fort' fesses right up to the most south" eastern point Of tho Dutch frontier axp0sed Holland to the danger Of being tho country through which any Invader might march,
 10 strengthen thb tiny country of i9,70i square miles against any possibility of invasion the army was EeorganiEed and tho RiF.forCe deeentFAlised. FortystWo strong OaSeInates were built along the caste ern frontier and 70,000 men, torms inR part Of the Light Brigade" were stationed for the immediate defense of tho eastern frontier,
 The alr.foFee was strengthened by tho addition 0f the latest Fok' ker fighters, while the ground force was equipped with ViekeTA. Arms stronb antl-aircrAft guns, The in. fantfy was fitted out with ahtl'tahk guns.
 Tn addition to It's eonscFipt army oE i,e00,000 men, Holland has superb natural defenBeB ln the loWlylhB eoastline and maze Of canals, The dikeg once cut, Holland easily could be flooded # threatened With invas sion. The marrow eastern strip out' side the water barriers hes been protected by strengthening of the
 Al indication Of Hollands mari. tisna policy was given when sey- eFAl WarShlpB and submarines were sent to convoy Dutch merchantmen, following attacks on neutral Bhlps in tho Mediterranean. Holland took thls step Independently and before ans of the power decided t0 protect theiE merchant shipping in 6 similar minnef,
 Yh0 outbreak Of the war between jaFan and China led t0 an lns crease of the Dutch defense forces in the East Indies, ft X recalled thnt Holland has A colonial empire that iA the third largest ID tho world, The Dutch East Indies, Wlth O0000,000 inhabitants and enormous natural resources are the baekbohe of this empire.
 Hitler Answered 0R Neutrality
 On Feb, 10 the Dutch foreign minister replied Co Adolf HitlefB HDNech in tho Reiehbtag ln which no eXiSFesBed readiness t0 guarantee Hollands neutrality, The Dutch f0F' Oign minister expressed appreciation but sald that Holland would never Do willing t0 conclude Q pact with any foreign power over inVl0lablllty Of It's territory because thlB was aEiomAtie Of Hollands policy ana not suitable for paets,
 'iTelland took the initiative n eall' Ing the OBl0 conference where H0l' land the Scandinavian countries. Belgium and Luxembourg pledged themselves Go the greatest p0sBlbl6 freedom ifl commercial intercourse, Dutch trade missions also visited the various South American G0Ans tries, preparing the way for closer commercial relations,
 T'he position Of tho Netherlands Bank remained strong aild the g0ld holdings now approach i,D0O,OOO,0DO guildeiB. Gold G0Verage for bank. notes was i6Oh per cent and g0ld gVyepage for note circulation ana lepOgits was B4.i2 per cent
 The youth Of the world sampled tho hospitality Of the Dutch in July hHd August when the Boy Scouts World Jalnb0rGe was held at V0' RelenSafg,