Evening star., 1946-03-17
Offer to Indonesiu
Merits Close Study
Writer Reviews Queens Proposal
of Transition. Status
By RAYMOND Moley.

by AuyHtOUu MOtGy.
In the Swiss press there has appeared
a proclamation by Queen Wilhelmina
of Holland. handed some weeks ago to
the representatives of the Indonesian
peoples. 1t was drawn up after long de-
liberation, in which the British govern
ment probably participated. It's aim is
the creation of some sort of common
wealth. but on very transitory basis.
Since it is inevitable that the Queens
proclamation will be interpreted as an
expression Of British as well as Dutch
ideas Of how curren; critical colonial
questions are to be solved, it deserves
close examination. For the creation of
new colonial ideas must be the task of
the next 10 years. s
The Queen asserts that the indie
1esian people must be allowed freely to
determine their political future. But,
she says. "the true interests of the coun-
try and the people Of Indonesia will be
found in voluntary continuation of
an empire in which the Netherlands,
Indonesia, Surinam and Curacao shall
be united, with full liberty for each
country to settle its own affairs, while
ready to help the others when needed"
Therefore, Queen Wilhelmina proposes
for the Indonesians a transition status
between past subjection and future lib
erty.
This temporary situation shall include
an Indonesian commonwealth as part
Of the kingdom. Within this Queen
Mothers house shall be many mansions
Various areas shall have varying de.
grees OF autonomy. Purely domestic af-
fairs shall be handled by the authori-
ties OF the commonwealth There shall
be democratic representation in which
the Indonesians shall have a majority.
The government of the commonwealth.
however, shall have as its head a repre-
sentative Of the Queen. And special
powers sufficient to guarantee the rights
Of men, sound finances and an efficient
administration shall be assigned to the
Queens representative
Among the guaranteed rights Of men
shall be freedom Of religion, full equality
among races, protection of the person
and OF property, protection of minorities
and freedom Of education and opinion.
The commonwealth shall have cab
met based on an agreement among the
parliaments of the various countries of
the kingdom
AS soon of this infant commonwealth
is created, Holland shall Immediately
nc
|. The heart of the document is in the
protection Of vital properties-tin mines,
oil wells and rubber plantations, which
are, in fact, owned by Dutch and Brit
lsh corporations. Most of the rubber
plantations are owned by a strong
British-Dutch cartel reorganized a few
months ago. The Dutch recognize that
without what has come in the past In
interest and sinking fund payments on
their vast investments and without
trading preference, Holland would have
little chance to regain her comfortable
prewar standard of living.
The British position in India is based
on the same considerations. But the
British position is easier to maintain
and to explain, because India hepelessly
Is split by racial and religious differ
ences. This is not the case in Indonesia
Queen Wilhelmina is pleading for a
transition period during which the
Dutch government will bend every effort
to prove to the Indonesians that it is to
their interest to stay with the Dutch
crown. In the past, this proof has been
in the form of strong military estab-
lishment. In the future it may not be
possible for the Dutch alone to maintain
such power. 1t would be quite contrary
to the principles of new world order
for the British to continue to lend force,
and the UNO cannot in conscience un-
derwrite the control of unwilling peo-
Pile. True consent of the governed must
be achieved, and that means less ex-
ploitation and more economic liberty.