UNDER THE NAZIS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 September 1940, Page 5

UNDER THE NAZIS

NETHERLANDS IN IRON GRIP A little more than two. months of occupation by Germans has been sufficient to convince the average Netherlander that in such matters as legislating, operating courts, raising food, .and for that matter even eating it, he himself has very little to say (wrote a correspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor” on July 31). In short, the Netherlands is being ruled by an iron hand. This is seen in the fact that capital punishment now awaits the Netherlander convicted of giving aid to the British. It is seen in the fact that Netherlanders are forbidden to listen to foreign radio broadcasts. In the early days of the German occupation, German authorities stated that they would not enforce Nazi views upon the people of the Netherlands-. To-day, however, different circumstances exist, Germany claims, which give them the right to take a vigorous hand'in the social and political reorganisation of the country. German advice and services are- being backed up by drastic measures. CAN SEIZE PROPERTY. For instance, property confiscation awaits persons or societies agitating ,pr >( otherwise, against the Reich’. At the same time political party activity has been severely curbed by placing the party under the control of a commissioner, as in the case of the Social-Democratic Party, the Communist Party, and the Revolutionary Social Workers’ Party. And in cases where trials by' court are necessary, German courts have been established to try cases involving Germans and Netherlanders who have offender against the Reich. Germanisation lias not escaped the Netherlands’ industry and agriculture, which must now-be geared to the German war machine, at whatever cost. Butter is rationed, the price or eggs p, high—a new experience for a country which has always had more than enough of these commodities. An example of what is being done to the Netherlands’ food resources is seen in a recent order that 12,000,000 laying liens, about two-thirds of the country’s reserves, be killed before September 15. Many of the cattle aie facing the same fate, a fate which is brought on by lack of cattle foddei and chicken feed. . This picture of conditions m tne Netherlands to-day is in sharp contrast to the treatment promised by Dr. -Arthur Seyss-Inquart when he first became civil administrator of thf country. In his proclamation on taking office on May 30, he. stated that Netherlands laws hitherto observed would remain in force as far as possible, that Netherlands officials would be the instruments of power in the new administration, and that the independence of legal jurisdiction would be preserved.

A DIFFERENT COURSE He also stated that the Netherlands would not b’e subject to further living discomforts other than those lendeied necessary by the enforced communal relations with the Reich and the destructive will of Germany’s enemies. Reconstruction, he promised, of all damage done by war would be undertaken immediately. To-day these things appear to be taking a different course. Although Dr. Seyss-Inquart assured the Netherlands that Germany has no designs on Dutch possessions overseas, and that Germany does not wish to exterminate the Netherlands itself, he has forbidden the people to demonstrate loyalty to Queen Wilhelmina. .. Declaring that the Queen, now living in London and co-operating with the British, "“belongs to the enemy,” the German governors have decreed therefore that the Queen must not be acclaimed or mentioned in political gatherings during the German occupation. These and many other similar measures govern conditions in the Netherlands to-day. Although Germany has little direct control over Netherlanders living throughout the empire, actions of these empire citizens may bring retaliation against citizens at home. Several hundred of them already have been arrested and shipped to German concentration camps in reprisal for alleged ill-treatment of Germans in the Netherlands East Indies.