Evening star., 1939-11-13
Easing Of tension
For Netherlands May
Be Only Temporary
Improvement luid Chiefly
To kozi Willingness to
Weigh Peace Proposals
BY M. w. FORDOR,

chicago Daily News Foreign Correspondent.
THE HAGUE. Nov. 13.-The i'm
mediate danger clouds were cast
away from Holland during the week
end until further notice. A slight
alienation of the situation could be
registered yesterday, but nobody
knows whether the improvement will
last few days or more.
This temporary improvement Of
the situation is due chiefly to the
visit of the German Minister to the
foreign Office, during which he is
reported to have informed Foreign
Minister Eeclo N Van Kleffens that
the German government is ready
to give serious consideration to the
peace proposals of Queen Wilhel-
nina of the Netherlands and King
Leopold of the Belgians.
Official quarters at The Hague
today believe that the French, and
more especially the British, answer
to the peace proposals have not
yet closed the door to further peace
negotiations, though this optimism
probably is not shared elsewhere.
But it is hoped that negotiations will
result from this offer and that dan
ger may be postponed for few days.
1t is even believed that if the
United States should come into the
negotiations danger might be avert
ed from Holland this year.
Reasons for Apprehensions.
What were the reasons that on
Friday the situation was believed
to be extremely critical and an in
vasion looked imminent?
First, the German Army on the
frontier had been increased by four
motorized divisions.
Second, it is known that there
has been a division between the
leaders of Germany on the ques-
ton of invasion. Hitler's generals
believed that such an invasion
would be too costly at this time of
year and would yield too small re-
suits, besides alternating the United
States and possibly, ultimately
causing her intervention. But it
became known that since Wednes-
day Hitler had been disinclined to
listen to these counsels.
Third, a high German emissary
visited King Leopold of the Bel
glans, asking whether the peaceful
cession of the mouth of the Scheldt
River was possible.
Fourth, the Germans. as they did
IN Austria and Czecho- -Slovakia.
wanted to work by means of internal
pressure as we'll and a Dutch Nazi
putsch was projected. This putsch
was aimed to eliminate the present
government and replace it with a
Dutch Nazi government, which then
would have concluded treaty with
Germany. Since last Wednesday.
however, public Offices have been
under guard by the Kings auxiliary
police with steel helmets and rifles
Respite May Be Possible.
These alarming signs naturally
caused intense nervousness in Hol-
land. which was increased by the
presence of the German Army across
the frontier. The German answer
to Queen Wlhelmina S peace pro-
posals now gives rise to the belief
that few days respite at least is
possible and there are signs that
the old German plan of invasion is
considered by the army as needing
changes. Correspondents of Dutch
newspapers stationed in Berlin have
received reassuring statements that
Germany entertains no offensive
designs against either Holland or
Belgium.
German troops on the Dutch
frontier are described as a special
maneuver army trying out certain
theories which, under peculiar con-
ditions, could be best carried out
under the protection of a neutral
frontier.
All this points to a temporary
respite. Will this truce hold for
some days? Or only for some hours?
The real answer could be given by
only one man. namely, Hitler. But
1t is possible that before trying an
other military action, Germany will
try to persuade Belgium and Holland
to cede certain points and airdromes
peacefully. If this does not work,
then force of arms may be used.
copyright 1889 Chicago Daily News, Inc)