Evening star., 1944-11-05
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The Netherlands fought long and
stubbornly against their alien rulers, the
Spaniards, in the 18th and 18th CEN
turies, and finally won their inde-
pendence in l648. They were overrun
again by the French under Napoleon
and, after the latter's defeat, their
country was combined with the present
territory of Belgium. The two countries
were separated in 1880.
Hated Nazi Neighbors
Those parts of the western region
which have escaped flooding are sure
to attract Yanks who have freedom to
move about in the Netherlands. They
will want to see, If possible. the coun-
try's metropolis, Amsterdam; Rotter-
dam, the great port; The Hague, politi-
cal capital; Alkmaar and Edam, homes
of cheeses they we'll know; the historic
cities of HARLEM, Delft and Leiden, and
the seaside resort of Scheveningen, AT
lantic City" Of the Netherlands. There
in the west Yanks will meet typical
Netherlanders-whom they probably
will call "Dutchmen" On all sides they
will hear the people refer to themselves
in the same way. 1t will seem reason
able enough, for Dutch" Is rooted deep
in history and literature. But in re-
cent years the Netherlands government
less because some outsiders confuse 1t
with "Deutsch," the name of the hated
NaZi neighbors to the east.
The typical Netherlander is demo-
cratic, well educated, industrious, stead
fast and dependable. His traits may
we'll have come from the land itself and
the way Of life it has imposed. During
the past 900 years or more the forebears
of these people. by hard work, virtually
built their land by hand, walling out
the sea and the rivers, constructing
canals, pumping out the seepage and
the rain water. Year in and year out
they had to continue hard work to keep
the land livable and productive. II
canals were clogged or broken, or II
pumps stopped for even a few days,
large areas would become water-logged
and worthless.
1t was not apparent as one moved
through TIE country in peacetime that
much Of Western Netherlands was be-
low sea level. But it was noticeable that
railroads and highways ran on low fills.
There was never a cut unless the road
swung into the narrow strip of sand
hills that serves as a natural dixie along
the shore Of the North Sea. Inland
from this sandy ridge the land seemed
at a dead level, criss-crossed by canals.
There are no rocky areas, only sand,
clay and mud. Brick is the almost uni
versal building material.
Dike-Inclosed Areas
The lowest point in any prewar view
was likely to be a grid of little canals.
Into them seeped the drainage from a
polder Ga dike-inclosed area). Rows of
trees outlined many of these areas. At
a corner of the polder, water from the
lowest canals was pumped to a canal
at higher level. Perhaps the lifting
was done by stately old windmill: but
in many cases these picturesque land
marks had given way to ugly little pump
houses that sheltered more efficient
electric or steam pumps.
Miles away the water Of the second
canal was lifted to still higher canal,
and so on, until, from a broad, high
level waterway it flowed into a river
or the sea. On the larger canals and
canalized rivers much of the freight Of
the country long has moved.
Probably the greatest reclamation
project in the history of the Neither
lands took shape In 1882, with the COM
pletion of 20-mile-long dam across
the mouth of the old Zuider Zee be-
tween North Holland on the west and
Friesland on the east. The old arm of
the sea which had bitten deep into the
Netherlands was cut off by the huge dixie
and will eventually become a fresh
water lake. Its name already has been
changed to IJssel Nicer Qakel. 1t is
planned to dixie off polders like scallops
around the edges of the lake and thus
add thousands of acres of new farmland.
Although picturesque costumes are
still worn in some rural districts, the
Yank will not discover them in any of
the larger cities. In peacetime he would
have had to search hard to find people
wearing wooden shoes. Now, because
war brought leather shortages, he may
find them in wider use
One Of the most vivid impressions Of
the Netherlands may be given to the
Yank by bicycles. In normal times old
and young rode them-at least one out
Of three, according to national figures
from the democratic Queen and gov
eminent dignitaries down to small chill
dren.
During rush hours in peacetime Am
sterdam bicyclists rode In droves like
regiments on wheels, and stopped in
unison when traffic lights flashed red.
In the hill-free countryside cyclists
found beside the main roads paved
pathways for their exclusive use.