CONCLUSION

In his memorable farewell address, Washington said in 1795:

There can be no greater error than to expect or calculate upon real favors from nation to nation. 'Tis an illusion which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to discard.

This wise utterance is perhaps less absolutely true today than it was at the end of the eighteenth century. Still we should not dare to solicit any favors from this country, if we were not convinced that by granting them your government was effectively serving your own

cause.

The United States government has it in its power to save Switzerland or to ruin her. For America to save Switzerland in the present crisis is to clear the way for the realization of the American peace idea, by convincing the most hardened of skeptics and cynics abroad of the absolute sincerity of its democratic inspiration. For America to let Switzerland perish or to allow her to be saved through the shrewd and calculating generosity of the German autocracy, would be to abandon the most ancient and the firmest foothold of liberal and federative democracy on the continent of Europe. Could anything more hopelessly obscure the fundamental issue of this war, undertaken by the United States to realize that state of political fellowship between peoples of different tongues and races, of which Switzerland is perhaps the most perfect prototype in the world?

And, on the other hand, could anything more gloriously and more persuasively show the German people the true intentions of the American government and the true obstacle to lasting peace, than a fair and generous treatment of that country which at their doors, is for friends and foes of democracy 'alike, the very embodiment of the democratic idea?

A public statement of this policy and of its justification from the American point of view, coming from this country and reëchoed into Germany through the thousand channels of our press, would be more than a convincing argument. It would be a demonstration. We know that America will save Switzerland, because we know that it is America's wish and will that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people perish not from any part of the earth, but that it prevail throughout all civilized mankind!

STATISTICAL APPENDIX

The following five tables illustrate Switzerland's economic dependence on the two hostile groups of belligerents for five of the most vital commodities. Unless otherwise specified, the figures given are in thousands of metrical tons. The total imports of each commodity as indicated often exceed the sums of the imports from the various countries, as only the most important of the exporting countries are mentioned.

These five tables show that Switzerland could no more do without German coal, iron and potatoes-the same is true of several other commodities, notably the various kinds of drugs and fertilizers -than she could do without American wheat or cotton.

It will be noticed that in 1916, Switzerland actually imported more wheat than in the years before the war. In order to avoid any possible misinterpretation, it must here be repeated that ever since 1914 no wheat nor other grain has been exported from Switzerland to the central powers, except in the shape of strictly limited quantities of bread destined for the allied prisoners interned in Germany and for the Swiss citizens resident there. These exports, authorized, controlled, and encouraged by the allies, have never profited any of their enemies.

Unhappily for Switzerland, these excess imports of wheat in 1916 have been more than compensated by the deficiency of the imports of almost all other commodities and notably of almost all other foodstuffs as the following table shows:

By A. G. A. VAN EELDE,

Member of the Netherlands Mission to the United States.

On July 31, 1914, Holland began mobilizing its army and navy, subsequently set to increasing and equipping them, and now maintains on a war footing about half a million of men. It acted thus, not with a view to join the cause of either of the belligerents, but to be in a position to ward off any hostile attempt on the integrity of its territory, home and abroad. It publicly declared its firm determination to remain neutral.

The number of those criticizing this line of conduct was of no consequence in Holland, but rather extensive abroad. It was, the latter averred, inconsistent with the policy of Holland as chronicled in history and not conformable to the spirit of the nation, which

Before

was well known to be liberty-loving and anti-militaristic. long, however, the dissenting voices became faint and less numerous. The opinion began to prevail that intervention of Holland in the war could only be done at a ruinous cost to itself, would be of no material advantage to anybody and unlikely to promote justice, until, at the present moment, all open-minded critics admit the wisdom of Holland's decision to stand aloof, showing a bold face on all sides; on the one hand ready to severely punish all comers who were evilly affected, on the other to extend its alleviating hands to the sufferers of all nations.

Those, however, who think that Holland, acting as it does, has a chance of coming off with a whole skin, are under a misapprehension. What with the upkeep of an abnormally sized army, the housing and boarding of thousands and thousands of interned soldiers and refugees, what with the government distribution of foodstuffs and other commodities to its population at prices far below the absurdly enhanced cost prices, Holland is compelled to raise loans and taxes of unprecedented magnitude.

The ever increasing difficulties and dangers at sea seriously threaten its mercantile and fishing fleets. For, were it not for the undaunted determination of its sailors and fishermen who never flinch no matter what perils are impending over them, the supplies of indispensable victuals would have run out long since. As it is, supplies are scanty. All Holland is clamoring for more bread and fuel, farmers are crying out for fertilizers, stock owners for feeding stuffs, manufacturers for coal and raw materials. For Holland is not a self-supporting country in the actual sense of the word.

Formerly, when means of conveyance were limited to the efforts of human and animal physical power, Holland derived its necessaries of life mainly from its own soil. On the victorious entrance, however, of the steam engine, transport-especially marine transport-became swift, cheap and reliable. The Dutch farmer realized that cereals could be grown in America and landed in his own country at less cost than he could raise them at home; he stopped tilling the soil, promptly turned his arable lands into grasslands and applied himself to cattle raising, his efforts resulting in the creation of a cattle breed, justly renowned all the world over-not the least in the United States-for its milk producing qualities.

The manufacturer, in the meantime, kept pace with the farmer.