The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1911. AN INTERNATIONAL DANGER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 21, 25 January 1911, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1911. AN INTERNATIONAL DANGER.

;JF>r the emute Uutt toefca aesistOMce, the wra»a tiiat tusedn n&itanoe, 'For tfre jm&rt iM the <U»ta*cc, And the good that we oa> do.

There seems to "be jnp end to the difficulties and misunderstandings that from time to time from ithe most unexpected quarters threaten the world'e peace. 4- few. -weeks .sigo the Government of, Hol|«nd decided 4o strengthen the country's ilefences »n the eea frontier, and now it. aeons that this apparently ample and natural announcement. has alarmed England, estranged iKrance, exasperated Belgium, and threatens to embroil all the "Pwweiie cojlcfctiyely. Generally speaking the objectors to Holland's new policy contend that the fortification of her fifsa. front ,can Be directed billy against while at *he same time her land frontier, which is conterminous witli ie left practically defenceless. The implication of course is.that Holland .'is prepared ,$o play into Germany's hand, and allow , the Kafeer's troops, if neces--sary, to overrun the country, while at the same time doing her 'best to 'forward German. ambitions iby strengthening , her ooaat line against &igiand, and offering her ports as a naval base for Germany's .operations against us. Apart from Ktagland the Power chiefly concerned in this interesting question is Belgium. This 'little kingdom ia in a peculiar and difficult positron as .regards Holland. and Germany. 'So important is its -independence to .the peace of Europe thai, in 1831, and again in 1839 •the Powers guaranteed ite integrity; and any attempt 4o violate its. neutrality would fee 'regarded as tantamount to a d€jcliitrf«tk»n of <snt. But lives in conetant dread. «f Germany, and is tJierefore eijUgpidy .anjaoas that Holland shsll do natbing to Belgian' interests, or to. lessen her chance of securing 4d& irom Jiance a - jss*--;.-. i:^i-}

Kef ©Uoulil be suddenly imperilled. TJhefefore \ye find that

gium has already formally protested to Holland against .the fortification of Flushing, on the ground that the Scheldt 13 an international or "neutral" river, and that forts at its entrance might be utilized to "prevent foreign aid from reaching Antwerp if Belgian territory wwe invaded. England, in. fact, is Belgium's chief safeguard, andeveu on purely selfish grounds the Belgiaras are not prepared ito stand quietly by while Holland and Germany are apparently arranging a plan, of campaign against England and her allies.

Just at this" moment when the diplomatic >world is in a state of extreme nervous tensions and apprehension over Holland's sudden outbreak of activity, there comes to our ears a highly sensational rumour which is not likely to soothe' public anxiety in Belgium or France. It is reported thirt the late King of Belgium, exaspera-ted by the demand raised in England. and France for reforms in Congo territories, offered to allow-Germany, in return for its protection, to occupy his country for the purpose of conducting operations against France, and, presumably, against England as well. The character of Leopold and his obstinate refusal to

yield to the demands of the Congo Reform Association certainly lend colour to -this, story; and it is easy to imagine- iiow strongly it would aggravate (French suspicions of Germany. For to France even -more than to England the maintenance of Belgium's neutrality is a condition of national safety, and the French people have not forgotten the threat of invasion by which the Kaiser reduced them to submission during the controversy over I Morocco. It is quite possible that this ' rumour, circumstantial as it is, may be a mere "canard/ . But the fact Temains that the Powers chiefly interested are ' evidently taking a very serious view of the whole situation. One of the leading 'Parisian journals has made itself responisible for the statement that if Holland i persists in fortifying the mouth of the Scheldt, England, France, and Eussia, I which guaranteed Belgium's neutrality, ! u'ill withdraw from the Hague Arbitration Court. This protest v.'ould amount I almost to severing friendly relations with the other Powers; and though such an extreme step is barely probable just now, 'the mere suggestion of it indicates how deeply. European public opinion has been stirred by the new developments in the Low Countries. .