LETTERS TO TIIE EDITOR.
NEUTRALS AND THE WAR.
[TO THE EDITOR Of TEE “131.1COTAT01.“]
Silt,—Murmurs are heard in neutral countries that the war drags on so long. Holland is no exception. I noticed often that complaint in some Dutch papers. It is natural, for two reasons—the war disturbed international trade, and neutral countries near the battlefields had to mobilize their armed forces for protectiAg their neutrality and, in case of need, their independence. Both things cause losses. But neutral countries forget that the heaviest losses are borne, in lives and money, by the fighting nations. And neutral sympathy ought to go out entirely to those nations which are fighting, against their will and in spite of attempts to maintain peace, for the sake of liberty and national freedom in Europe. Some neutral countries profit also in other ways by this struggle. But that is another tale.
What I wish to point out, Sir, and what has determined the attitude of our paper in sympathy with the Allies, is not only the fact that they did not seek this war and wage it for national freedom all round, but also that all neutral countries share part of the blame for these terrible happenings. Neutral countries were as much as Great Britain morally bound to stand up for the neutrality of Belgium, which some years ago the principal Dutch monthly, De Gids, called " one of the constituent parts of the public law of Europe." England, to her eternal honour, loyally held on to the treaty which guaranteed Belgian neutrality. But what shall history say of the many neutral countries who solemnly enacted in the Hague Convention that " the territory of neutral Powers is inviolable," and allowed that violation without a word of protest ? The Hague Convention imposed a duty upon all civilized countries. Had they fulfilled that duty this war would not have happened. Now that the neutral countries allowed it to break out, with making "scraps of paper" of solemn compacts, those countries miss the right to grumble and to murmur. If they want to see the war end as quickly as possible, let them submit to the fullest economic pressure being brought to bear Upon the aggressive Central Powers
who provoked and prepared themselves well for this war. And let the neutrals allow the supply of a so important war article as cotton to be effectively out off from "the enemy of mankind." Who can honestly say that the Allies, that England, " trampled " on neutral rights P Finally, let neutrals not meddle with untimely and mischievous " negotiations " for peace. Can they expect the Allies to fight one minute longer this terrible struggle than they think absolutely necessary P Can neutrals demand that the Allies make in vain the awful sacrifices to which they were compelled P The future of liberty, of free- dom, of democracy, of civilization, of all that is dear to man- kind is at stake. Who does not see, not feel it P Wishing as one may to see this terrible slaughter and destruction ended and peace reign once more in all lands, once begun and allowed to start this struggle will and must be fought out. Sir, it is terrible to say so for a neutral, who can only wield his pen in defence of the Allies. But let them be encouraged by the heartfelt sympathy which all well-thinking neutrals who love justice and their own country's independence must and do extend to them.—I am, Sir, dm.,
JOHN C. VAN DER VEER, London Editor of the Amsterdam Tstegrao,f.
49 Minster Road, N.W.
Previous page
