Evening star., 1939-11-10
The Ides of November

Extraordinary military prepara-
tlons in the Netherlands and Bel
GUM unmistakably indicate that
they feel they have reason to beware
the 1des of November. At London
circumstantial reports, described as
authoritative in origin, tell of Ger
man plans to invade one or both of
the neutral Low Countries by Novem-
ber Is 1t Is from that date, too,
that Hitler is said now to be prepar-
ing ito talk to Britain in language
which she will understand" as he
thundered at Munich Wednesday
night, presumably threat that next
week may witness that war in
earnest" at which the Nazis limited
In October, the blitzkrieg which to
date has signally failed to mate
rialize.
But the Dutch and the Belgians
clearly believe the hour is at hand
when they will be called upon to de-
fend their neutrality and independ-
ence by force of arms. The Germans
for weeks have registered rising re-
sentiment over the alleged unwil-
lingness or inability of The Hague
and Brussels authorities to take
stronger action to nullify the British
blockade, though it is not apparent
exactly what Berlin expected those
two small states to accomplish in a
direction in which powerful Ger
many herself has not been any too
successful.
At any rate, the Netherlands and
Belgium are taking time by the fore
lock, on the chance that Hitler is
preparing to convert into new
scraps of paper" the international
covenants by which the little coun-
tries fronting the North Sea and
fanking France are guaranteed in
dependent existence on the fringe OF
a continental Europe chronically
addicted to war.
The Netherlands yesterday cleared
out villages in new water line" re-
gions, preparatory to defensive flood
ing, while Belgium raised her army
mobilization to near peak figure
of about 100000 men. Dutch rail-
roads are restricting passenger traf-
f1c in order to clear the way for
emergency passage of large bodies
of troops. It speaks volumes for
their opinion Of Nazi pledge that
both the Dutch and the Belgians are
taking these extensive and expensive
precautionary measures despite Ger
man denial Of any intention of send
ing troops across the territory of
either country. Should the Berlin
high command decide, in the i'm
mortal words OF Hohenzollern Ger
many, that necessity knows no law"
and again violate the neutrality of
western neighbors, the presumption
is that the Netherlands would be the
first to be invaded by German
armies, which then would sweep
south into Belgium to outfank the
Maginot Line.
Already there are indications that
II any such calamity overtakes the
realms Of Queen Wilhelmina and
King Leopold, the Nazi alibi will be
that Britain was planning to invade
Belgium as defensive measure, and
that Hitler Is therefore seeking only
to beat the allies to the gun. There
have been British suggestions Of
joint allied-Belgian staff talks, but
such proposals are said to have met
with slight favor in Brussels, which
fears the Germans would regard
them as unneutral and provocative.
London does not minimize the mill
tary, naval and air advantages that
would accrue to the Germans, should
they gain foothold for airdromes
and submarine bases on the Belgian
and Dutch coasts. As far as Belgium
Is concerned, the British faced and
met the same peril during the World
War, and are undoubtedly prepared
to confront and thwart it again.