Evening star., 1939-11-13
Calm Netherlands

Caught between two mighty bellig-
erents in war in which the first
real blow has yet to be struck, the
Netherlanders are preserving a great
er calm than many persons in other
countries who momentarily expect a
Nazi "Blitzkrieg" against the low
countries with the purpose of seizing
the channel ports as bases for con-
certed attack upon England.
Keen displeasure over the volume
of reports in the foreign press that
Holland is on the verge of becoming
battle-ground for the warning
powers and irritation over what may
be premature and ill-founded fears
as to Germany's intentions are dis
played by Dutch officials.
The Netherlands confidence in its
position was voiced today by Premier
Dirk Jan de Geer in a radio denial
that there is "a single ground for
uneasiness" and a reminder to the
Dutch that neutrality requires a
SCA Vail oVooC VI AAAiAu. 1AC Chp1cootu
the view that "acute danger does
not exist any more now than it did
in the first days of September"
Closest to the scene of possible
trouble, the Dutch are better able
to evaluate their own position than
are those who report the progress OF
the war from countries engaged in
the conflict, and they note marked
easing of tension along the frontier
across which it is reported Germany
may strike this week.
The Netherlanders are playing a
close hand, on the alert for any evi-
dence of German preparations to
violate their neutrality, but at the
same time anxious to avoid giving
any provocation to Germany. The
reassurances which the Dutch now
give the world that they are not,
as it is feared, on the brink of ir-
volvement in the war may best be
interpreted as an effort to clarity an
already highly confused situation
and to display publicly their conf
dence in German pledges not to in
wade the low countries, regardless Of
what is predicted from allied sources.
The Netherlanders know from the
experience of Belgium in 1914 that
there is danger, and a very real
one, of German invasion; they also
know from their own experience in
the last war that it is possible for
a small neutral to preserve its neu-
trality if it conducts itself carefully.
They are hoping that by rigid i'm
partiality and discouragement of
mere rumors they can walk the mar
row path between the belligerents in
such way as to avoid embodiment
on either side Of the conflict.
The Dutch have had the word of
the German government-and rely
on it only for what it is worth in
the light of history-that Dutch neu-
trality will not be violated. They
have seen tens of thousands of Ger
man troops concentrated on the
Dutch and Belgian frontiers, but at
the same time they know that there
are many factors operating to dis
courage German strike through
the low countries at this time-the
vast impetus it would lend to fighting
all along the western front, and the
vulnerable spot it would open in the
German armor by giving the allies
cause to leap Immediately to Dutch
defense and eventually to strike di-
rectly at Germany in the north.
The Dutch are displaying remark
able fortitude and their calculations
may not be amiss, but there remains
one factor which neither they nor
any one else can evaluate-the i'm
pulses of Adolf Hitler, especially If
military reverses or internal unrest
force him into some desperate gam