The Neutral Dutch.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16166, 21 March 1918, Page 6

The Neutral Dutch.

The Dutch are living well up to tho reputation fP r selfishness thai, ver> long ago inspired the famous couplet struck of? 'by ,ii British Minister; they still give too little and ask far ' tq.o • lfluch.. The British and American Governments,

after a long and harassing experience of this ways of Holland and other noutrals, and ail unexampled display of helpfulness and friendly forbearance, recently deeidud to takp over the Dutch shipping in their ports, on terms guaranteeing the Dutch owners against any loss. The right of seizure doubted; as Hall puts it, "the " person and property of neutral in- " dividual in. a belligerent Stato is in " principlo subjected to 6i»ch exeep- " ticnal taxation and seizure for the " use of thp stutp ns the existence of

" hostilities may render Accessary." In the war of 1870-71, tho Germans exorcised this right of "angary" on more than one occasion. Some English vessels, for instance, wero seized at Rouen by the Germans and snnk in t~o Seine in order to hamper the French i gunboats. Tho Germans first sought to make an agreement with the captains, and on meeting with refusal, they sank the vessels by gunfiro. TJie English GQvernment did not dispute the right of the Germans to act in a general sense in the manner which they adopted, and confined itselt to a demand' that the owners of tho property destroyed should he ppid compensation, which Count Rismarck had .already admitted was duo. Bismarck clainied that tho German procedure, "however excop- " tional in its nature, did not overstep "the bounds of international warlike " usagp." In taking over the Dutch vessels, Britain have undertaken to supply Holland with foodstuffs sufficient for its needs. Holland was offered an agrpement on this basis in January, but under German pressure the Netherlands Government refused to sign the contract, preferring to appear before her truculent neighbour as 10 helpless victim of force majeure. At the moment it is not quite clear whether Holland has .accepted the proposals in any way, but. njay be, the pro-German elements m the Netherlands are loudly proclaiming that tho Entente is oppressing a sill nation. Throughout tno war Holland's neutrality lias been favourable to Germany than to the Entente, and if Holland claims that she cannot help tho nature of the case, tho Entente has every right to say tlia it- will not continue to show consideration to a neutral that continues to do the Entente a' disservice in return. Holland's interpretation of its rights as a neutral lias been one to which Britain could not agree. The climax was reached somo months ago in con-

iiexion with the damage done to two Dutch vessels by a Gorman submarine, rho circumstances, which were set . out in a Whito Paper issued in January, ivere summarised in "The Press" yesterday. Two Dutch shins were proceeding from a French port to liotterdam, and were stopped and sent in to Kirkwall for examination. On the way they were attacked by German submarines, and one of them was sunk. The other was beached at Kirkwall. The Dutch Government claimed that tho liability of Germany did not free England, and it asked for damages. Mr Balfour, in a caustic reply, observed that the British Government might reasonably have e-pected a Dutch protest to Germany, and also some acknowledgment of the services of tho British Navy in savins; one of the ships. "Tho situa- " tion is that, in the opinion of tho " Netherlands Government, his Majesty's Government are to be held "responsible because, while thoy were " performing the perfectly legitimate "act of sending a neutral vessel into "port for examination, an act was "committed by tlioir enemies for which •• no justification whatever is possible, " and the German Government are ap- " pnrently to be held blameless." In tho course of further remarks Mr Balfour referred to the neglect of the neutrals to do their obvious duty by taking .steps to resist the illegal German "blockade," and reminded the Netherlands Government that tho British Government, "at somo inconvenience to themselves, made " arrangements whereby neutral ves"sels whose owners are prepared to " acccpt reasonable conditions may be '"examined at certain points outsido " tho 'danger zone.' " When these and other points are considered, ono cannot wonder that Mr Balfour, in conclusion, permitted himself some exceedingly sharp comment. When every allowance is made foi the difficulty of Holland's position, thero can be no excuse for the Dutch refusal to make any return for the humanity and consideration of Britain. Instead, Holland, feeling certain that it could obtain no redress from the criminal who sank hor ships, sought to impose upon the good nature of Bi itain, hoping that as Britain was sucli a fool as to bohave with decency to neutrals under grave provocation, she might b.c such a fool as to pay Germany's bill. The neutrals have no 4 , como well out of this war, and this i= not surprising, for had they beori governed by high principles, they would not have remained neutral.