HOLLAND AND BELGIUM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 142, 11 March 1919, Page 5

HOLLAND AND BELGIUM

THE 1839 TREATY REPORT OF THE COMMISSION By Telegraph—Press Asßociation-Oopyri&ht Paris, March 8. M. Tardiou has presented the report of the Belgium Commission. Its conclusions, which favoured the revision of the treaty of 1839, were adopted by' tTie Council and discussed, but the-discussion was interrupted by the negotiations at Spa.— Aue.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ["When in 1889 Holland actually agreed to accept the situation she received from the Powers increases of territory the most important of which were the left bank of the Scheldt and. a part of Limbwg, including the town of Maestricht. Europe considered that, flianks to these ter--1 ritories, torn from Belgium, Holland would be powerful enough to protect Belgian neutrality. The contrary, however, occurred. It was the attitude adopted by Belgium in 1014 which saved Holland, la fact, Germany olearly stated that in the event of being victorious ehe intended to crush Holland as she wished to crush Belgium. The Dutch Press frequently refers to the gratitude which. Belgians owe to. the Dutch, but the service which Belgium rendered in I9M to ■ Holland has morethanpOmpansated for all the. services which Holland was able to render to Belgian refugees. The question raised by the old treaties, therefore, remains open. Territorial arrangements cannot be separated from the question of conventional neutrality, tho ineffectiveness of which has been proved by tho war. The work of 18S9 nas failed; abreach has been made in the treaties* It is evident, therefore, that' the terri-. torial dispositions made by the Powers by which Holland benefited have no longer any reason for their existence, and that 'jointly with the question of frontiers and international status of Belgium stands the question of the regime of the Scheldt. There seems to be a holier in Holland that it is a question of a dispute between Holland and Belgium. That is entirely wrong. It is a question of an international problem which will be.colved by the Powers, which were parties, to the treaties of 1839. Russia has ceased to ciist, Germany and Austria have directly violated their engagements, and are beaten. There remains, therefore, only 1) ranee and Great Britain. Tho Belgian Government has announced that it intend 3 to respect the declaration made with ieeard to the territorial integrity. of_ Holland, friendship- with whom lemaros a cardinal point in Belgian policy. But if tho Powers-who have seen that the present Belgian frontiers are undefendable and that tho present regimo of the Scheldt renders impossible the provisioning, and consequently the defence, of tue ' fortress of Antwerp—should deoide to revise tho territorial dispositions made m 1839. and if Holland, out of pure Chauvinism, opposed certain territorial modifications indispensable to Belgium (which, moreover, would be compensated for by tho cession W Holland of territory, which formerly belonged to her)-only in that case could amicable relations between Beluiuni and Holland become difficult. The security of the country cannot suffer through friendship for Holland. Belgium had been subjected to mutilations in order that Holland might fulfil certain guarantees. In reality tho mutilations had no corresponding consideration, beeauso tho guarantees .were merely idle wonfs. If. then, HollaW .should refuse to restore Limburg and the left bank of tho Scheldt-a restitution which would, the integrity of the Netherlands' -there would obviously, exist on.the part of the latter an intention fo injure Belgium, a supposition which the Belgians refuse to entertain.] ;