The New Zealand Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1917. THE NEUTRAL WORLD

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9792, 16 October 1917, Page 4

The New Zealand Times. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1917. THE NEUTRAL WORLD

What the neutral is thinking in the war is affirmed by those neutrals who outside tbo grip of the German Ogre. | Latin America, with the exemption of Mexico, has declared its shocked disapproval of the crimes of Germany, and practically taken the side of the Entente in the war, which every member of the different populations knowa to bo the cause of justice and civilisation. Mexico, tho exception, has oome a long way round to that view, and ■tho only reason sibo does not complete the distance is that there aro too many bandits in powerful positions. Nevertheless, the fact that in -Mexico the only adherents of Germany are ferocious bandits shows tho depth of contempt into which Germauy’s scientific reversion to pristine barbarism, has brought the German nation. While the American Latins are so demonstrating, their original Spain shows signs of the same opinion. In tho beginning it was not so. Spain, being full of servants of the German reptile propaganda, and having many Gormans among her people, took tho side of Germany under a hypocritical cloak of neutrality, tho consequence being a vast prosperity and comfort to the undersea pirate crews of Germany. This fact will, it is now well understood form the basis after the war of a very special demand for compensation, for which tho Alabama judgment will be relied upon as the chief precedent. But Germany persisted in sinking the ships of Spain, and miring the sea commerce of Spain, with her usual arrogance of 'blundering. The result is a Spanish crisis which has very nearly brought Spain into the war on the side of the Entente. A contributing cause is the failure of tho German armies in the West, which has proved to the longsceptical Dons tho inferiority of .-he German military machine to those of Britain and France, and the greater inferiority of the German soldier. There is also probably gene<ral regret throughout the peninsula at the extensive help given to the diabolical undersea piracy of Germany, which may lead to the adoption of the conclusion that tho best possible apology and compensation will bo to join tho Allies. The situation of the Scandinavians and Dutch is different from, tho situation of the other neutrals, but that is. tho only difference between them. But for tho close neighbourhood of Germany, those nations would, with one exception, have decided against Germany as soon as tho atrocity of the German policy was made clear to the world by acts which admit of no discussion among civilised nations. The exception was Sweden, not through any sympathy for Germany, but through fear of Russia, for in Sweden Russian aggression was from the acquisition of Finland (not a creditable transaction, it must bo owned), till the Revolution regarded as a cardinal point in the policy of Russian Czardom. This feeling the Revolution has considerably lessened, especially by its declaration of a policy of no annexations. Sweden may now be regarded as quite as willing as her neighbours to follow the example of the United States and bake up arms against the mad dog of Europe. Like them, however, Sweden knows the danger from tho colossal i neighbour, who has thrown, over every

principle but selfishness and might. Germany knows it, too, and is oi course, hot restrained from destroying the ships and tho people of the near neutrals any more than she was restrained in the case of those more dis taut. Thus the provocation of sunken ships and murdered ere,vs went on adding to the indignant condemnation of these neutrals without adding to their power of striking back. Sweden’s case is particularly hard, for she has had to put up with the affront c.f the Luxburg affair, and to the systematic policy of broadcasting infernal machines among her shipping and works, to say nothing of having to endure the presence of thousands of German foreigners pushing’forward numerous nefarious schemes in open breach of all neutrality laws. Remonstrance in tho Luxburg case gets from Germany nothing hut insolent cant, explaining that the Luxhurg correspondence had really no effect on German policy, expressing regret that Luxhurg should have behaved badly, and promising no recurrence. In short, tho apology means that Germany, who was sinking neutral ships before the Lux burg affair, without, if possible, leaving a trace, will surely' go on sinking them after, was rather sorry that Luxourg had been found cut, and hoped to appoint a successor who would not be a bungler. Such is the German apology to Sweden.

To Holland there are no apologies. In tho Dutch case all tho explana-

tions are lies and all tho requests arc harsh orders. No attempt, in fact, is made to hide the intentions of one clay, sooner nr later, taking Holland as well as Belgium into the Germanic Empire. The only law under which this can bo done is the law of might and right, and that law has been very freely and fully proclaimed. Hence the latest degradation of Holland: compelled to give pa-ssage to contraband material of war. Called to book, Holland feebly passes on the lying German explanation that the material is for peaceful use. But we now have open eyes in high places in England, the oyos of men who have succeeded those purblind statesmen who have no quarrel with tho German people, and. persist in tho delusion that soma very wicked people have compelled-, .this raco of lambs and saints to applaud outrages that set men’s minds on lire in blazing resentment. Ihe answer was peremptory; communication would remain suspended until tho passage of contraband material for tho enemy’s trenches and concrete towers stops. The problem is bad for Holland, for she is between the devil and tho deep sea. It is really the .same problm as the ■problem of the other Scandinavians, for if it is not contraband material, it is ships sunk and crows by a friend who asserts he has alright to commit crime and persists in pointing out that, it is for their good, though quite against their rights. There is a solution which to enterprise, skill and determined good faith is not difficult. Tho solution requires two parties, the neutrals and tho Entente Powers. H the neutrals join the Entente, they must bo ready to hold their borders while the Entente swiftly send ships to their porta and coasts, and land men from the sea. In _thi s connection it has already been pointed out that tho American fleet could do great service by getting the entry into the Daltic. That is, of course, a detail. Whatever may be done would have to be 1 thoroughlv done, for the fate of Del dura, Serbia and Roumania is before the eyes of these neutrals. Now, however, the colossal neighbour has not the strength of other days. .He is on "awed on the Dutch border m a struggle” too desperate for him to take on the army of Holland pins the forces landed from England, with the additional contingency of Srwndmav saa armies and squadrons by Entente ships and men. The eolu tion of the problem of neutrals ought not to be beyond the bold enterprise and loval determination of tho J-n----tente " If successful its effect .on the duration of the war would he mcalcnhbV It would he almost the immediate victory - of the Entente.