THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1915. HOLLAND AND GERMANY.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13790, 10 June 1915, Page 4

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1915. HOLLAND AND GERMANY.

These have been several indications of late of a growing apprehension in Holland that that country, which has managed to maintain herself for nine months on the edge of an inferno, will sooner or later bo forced into the war in defence of her integrity against Germany's aggression. According to mes-1 sages from Amsterdam within the last couple of weeks the uneasiness is taking tho shape of a demand for universal service, the existing army being considered insufficient for the preservation of Dutch neutrality in the event of the German occupation of Belgium being much longer continued. The Amsterdam newspaper "Handelsblad" in an outspoken article at tho end of last month, declared that if Germany proclaims the annexation of Belgium during "the war, Holland should regard it as a casus belli inasmuch as the:annexation of Belgium will imply the extinction of Holland's independence. Further ground fcr uneasiness has since been found in a speech by the King of Bavaria, referred to in our cable news to-day, in which there is an indication of Germany's determination to permanently retain Belgium, and to secure the mouth of the Rhine. There have been many evidences of late that Germany has abandoned all desire to remain oh good terms with her -small neighbour. She -has, indeed, (striven: to' make the- path of neutrality as difficult as possible for Holland to follow. Holland has .been mobilised since tho beginning of the war, and has done her best to discharge the obligations of neutrality. For some months Germany, valued this attitude, for it suited her well to havo a strip of neutral territory between tho occupied territory of Belgium and the North Sea, where the British Fleet held command. Lately, however, this has become less necessary, and Germany's conduct towards Holland has become correspondingly less respectful." The warfare against peaceful shipping carried on by Ger r many's pirate submarines has pressed heavily upon Dutch commerce, and the protests of the Netherlands Government have received scant satisfaction since tho. sinking of the Medea off Beachy Head. When Holland made strong representations against this flagrant breach of her rights as a neutral, Germany, after temporising for a time promised to have full inquiry made with a view to the payment of compensation, and professed the .most . friendly feelings. Almost immediately! afterwards, however, she captured two ] Dutch steamers which were proceeding '• from Rotterdam to England, and interfered with several others in what yon Tirpitss has defined as the "war zone." Any possibility that Holland might placo confidence in Germany's protestations of friendliness, said a despatch in April, was dissipated by the torpedoing of the steamer Katwijk, of 2000 tons, which was steaming peacefully towards Rotterdam with a cargo of grain from Baltimore. The Katwijk was anchored off a Dutch lightship waiting for some formalities when she was torpedoed without any warning, and the crew only had time to scramble into their boats and get to.ths lightship. A fresh breeze YrkicJi was blowing at the time fully exhibited the Dutch flag which the vessel was flying. The cargo consisted of maize to the value of £25,000, the property of tho Dutch Government, and uninsured. In commenting upon this outrage, the Amsterdam correspondent, of."The Times"'reanarked thatHoJlana: is '.under- no delctsion as, to the chances' under vvhich she is living! An essen-: tially peacefuJ people, tho Dutch realise fully from tho example of Belgium what a calamity war would be for their country, and they have shown by their behaviour that they are prepared to go to considerable lengths rather than call down on themselves the "civilising influences which have been so drastically applied":to.-Belgium.- There is throughout Holland a growing feeling of pesfiimisai,_ amounting almost to despair. Strenuous efforts have been made to secure the country against sudden invasion, but Germany on her side of the frontier has taken the fullest precautions against an inem'sion by the Dutch army. . •