Why They Were Taken
I remember very early in the war a distinguished neutral saying to me: “Germany hopes for swift and wide conquests, not so much that she believes that she can retain all she seizes as that she hopes in the end to have much to bargain with. Her policy, should she fail in her world conquest, will be analogous to that of a thief who seeks to purchase liberty and immunity from punishment for a crime with the money he has stolen.” It is an aspect of Germany’s policy that will repay watching. When peace terms come to be discussed, the Allies must not accept stolen goods even in part settlement for German crimes and aggression.
Raemaekers here suggests, what has been present in many other minds, the idea that the capture of Dutch ships was stage-managed to enable the new Ambassador at The Hague to “create a good impression” in his favour by a release of the ships.
The action may have impressed shipping circles, and have avoided “strained relations” between the two Governments of The Hague and of Berlin; but the Dutch must indeed be a simple folk and blind if they did not on this occasion “look the gift horse in the mouth” with a view to ascertaining its exact value.
To clumsy diplomacy Germany has more than once added a lack of humour of an astonishing degree of obtuseness in dealing with neutral nations, of which this incident of the Dutch ships is an excellent example.
CLIVE HOLLAND
WHY THEY WERE TAKEN
The New Ambassador: “I am empowered by my Government to restore them—(sotto voce) that will create a good impression in my favour.”
The new German Ambassador at the Hague at once restored the captured ships.