The Free Sea
Itis when Germany’s absence of morals is most blatant that her presence of mind comes to the rescue. It is a strange and wonderful mind that she reveals—a weird combination of childishness without its innocence, of wickedness without its cunning. Yet somehow the German mental process is sometimes convincing. It is really one of the wonders of the world that it should be so. When a country that stole Silesia, Poland, Schleswig, Alsace-Loraine, Belgium and Serbia solemnly assures a shocked and startled world that its life-long object is to protect the freedom of small nationalities; when a Government, that kills peaceful passengers by the hundred and torpedoes neutral trading ships, says it does so in the cause of the freedom of the seas; when a frenzied Emperor, foiled in the effort to conquer Europe by a surprise attack, vows that his only purpose is self-defence, one would think that such talk could deceive nobody—not even the speaker. A child’s lie embarrasses but does not mislead its elders. Why, then, does the German lie mislead? Or is it that the bully only seems to be believed?
The feebler spirits of Holland would rather believe anything than be forced into the turmoil of war. Germany, as a protector of the weak, the champion of the small, they are willing to accept—rather than meet Germany in arms. Nay, they—the descendants of the greatest seamen, and to-day dependent on the sea for more than half the country’s wealth—would prefer Germany’s guarantee of sea freedom than run the risk of her land atrocities.
Raemaekers is theenfant terribleof political argument. The German contention is childish, the Dutch credulity is childish, and he meets them with a child’s demonstration of what the truth would be. Three great outlets of the sea are blocked by three brutal figures. We have only to look at them to realise that here are dangerous playmates.
ARTHUR POLLEN
THE FREE SEAGermany’s idea of what it would make of it for Holland.
THE FREE SEAGermany’s idea of what it would make of it for Holland.
THE FREE SEA
Germany’s idea of what it would make of it for Holland.