COUNTRY OF CONTENT

Evening Star, Issue 18044, 11 August 1922, Page 6

COUNTRY OF CONTENT

Surely no city was ever mon strangely or more appropriately namec than Tho Hague. For Hague means “hedge.”. The town owes its name to the first buildings that clustered round that ancient hunting lodge which still forms tho nucleus of this famous city by tho sea. Built originally as protection for n royal dwelling, it has come to enshrine the vital principles of international justice; to-day the “hedge” defends tho meetingplace where the peace of the world may yet bo ensured. Holland is indeed the country where the birth of a lasting peace might most fittingly take place. Mile after mile of silent waterways, still and dark under the soft sunlight—such is the impression that she leaves on the casual visitor. Water lilies, yellow and white, float on tlio glassy surface. Pink flowering rushes and the golden flags of irises mirror themselves from the hanks. White drifts of water crowfoot lie like snow across the gleaming water. Fields of yellow mustard and waving grass stretch to the illimitable distance of tho horizon. And over al is an enveloping sense of calm and contentment. PEACE WON BY TOIL.

It is a peace which has been hardly won, a rest which comes only after strenuous toil. Here, with infinite labor, man has fought and conquered tho cver-encroaching sea. Not only has tho water been beaten back from the shore; immense tracts have been wrested from the invader. In final indignity he, has boon made to servo his conquerors by bearing their traffic through tho length and breadth of ill© land.

White sails glide through the fields, borne on tho hidden canals. The funnel of a steamer shows for a moment through the trees, and is. gano like the chimney of some gypsy caravan. There is no blinding dust on these highways. Tho banks shine freshly green all through tho long hot days of summer.

As tho barges carrying their loads of coal or flour or turf pass through tho fields of ripening corn, solitary herons flap heavily away from their fishing grounds. An occasional stork with Tong outstretched neck is etched against the blue .sky. The black-and-white Frisian cattle turn theip heads in lazy curiosity ns the wash eddies and ripples among the reeds. Sometimes a load of flowers sails past on its way to tho market at Amsterdam —scarlet geraniums, deep blue lobelias, marigolds, and many-hued roses sending long reflections of vivid color to mingle with the dazzling white of drifting clouds.

MENACE BECOMES A BLESSING. At the locks tho captive waters are chained and bound. They have no means of escape through those heavygates. Once they were free as air. part of the immensity of tho ocean j now they must serve man and wait upon his pleasure. Tho Dutch arc a contented people. No supine indifference is theirs, hut an honorable peace, nobly and fairly won. They have fought hard, both against human foes and against the forces of Nature. Now they enjoy tho fruits of that long strife.

Here, in this land of peace, may the ghost of warfare bo mostly fitly laid. At Tho Hague a great palace which was to mark tho end of war. Tima has shown how vain arc the symbols' of stone and mortar. At Tiie Hague this month may be built another palace, a palace of which th« foundations will be faith between nations, of which tho soaring towon will be mutual understanding and goodwill. Here, in a country which peace has marked for her own, may he safeguarded for future generations the safety of the world.—G. C. Lawrence, in the ‘ Weekly Scotsman..’