Holland

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 4, 7 April 1916, Page 5

Holland

I REASON FOR- PRECAUTIONS. j [Dnitep P»rsu Association, t Amsterdam, April 5. The elegranf says that Holland's precautions are simply to ensure protection against the German concentrations on the frontiers. ; SUGGESTED BRITISH INVASION. VIEWS OF EX-MINISTER OF WAR BETWEEN TWO STOOLS. j | (Received 9 a.m.) I Amsterdam, April 6. 1 M. Colyn, formerly Dutch Minister of War, rejects the possibility of the intention of Bril tain to land rlew armies on the Dutch ! coast, as its assumption was incompat- ! ible. They had been assured that the neutrality of Holland would be respected. The question, however, is what . Germany may think. "If," he says, "Germany judges our defensive capacity as inadequate, and iis apprehensive of a British invasion ' through Holland, it would not be strange if we were approached from ! the German side with proposals to which we cannot submit, because comI pliance would mean the abandonment of our neutrality towards the Allies. While a waiting attitude might be adopted towards Britain, something I positive should be done as regards i Germany."

M. Colyn suggested the strengthening of the Dutch forces to make it clear to Germany that it was Holland's intention as far as lay in her power to prevent any menace to Germany's open flank.