1939: Netherlands

Increasing armaments, disturbed international political relations, fear of war, and finally the outbreak of war in Europe marked 1939 as one of the most difficult years in the recent history of the Netherlands.

Elections.

Elections in April to the eleven Provincial States or Councils, which in turn elect the members of the Upper House, resulted in gains for the Liberals and for the Christian-Historic party; losses for Premier Hendryk Colijn's Anti-Revolutionary party composed of orthodox Calvinists with a conservative outlook on political and economic affairs; and a complete defeat for the National Socialists, whose program calls for the abolition of political parties, a dictatorial leadership, anti-Semitism, a corporative state, and, in foreign affairs, economic cooperation with the colonies of the Netherlands and strong military measures for the defense of the Empire. The National Socialists led by an engineer, A. A. Mussert, son of a humble schoolmaster, received only 4 per cent of the total vote. (See also SOCIALISM.)

Cabinet Changes.

Jacob A. de Wilde, a prominent member of Premier Colijn's Anti-Revolutionary party, who had served as Minister of Finance since 1937, resigned on May 20 owing to a disagreement with Roman Catholic Ministers in regard to the budget. Mr. de Wilde, a stanch supporter of orthodox financing, insisted on balancing the 1940 budget by obtaining funds for national defense and social welfare through a policy of retrenchment, while the Roman Catholic Ministers advocated expensive social and economic measures including a state dole for the unemployed. Premier Colijn took over the portfolio of Finance Minister temporarily, but refused to assume the responsibility for the acceptance of a permanent deficit in the budget. The narrow basis on which Dr. Colijn's cabinet was formed in 1937 disintegrated into Catholic and Protestant blocs. The Cabinet's position was made more precarious when the Lower House, with the exception of the Catholic members, expressed its disapproval of the attitude of the Catholic Minister of Justice, C. M. T. J. Gosseling, who had been charged with having hindered legal procedure in an accusation of moral defense which involved two priests.

Unable to agree among themselves about the 1940 budget, Premier Colijn's Cabinet resigned on June 30. Queen Wilhelmina immediately asked Dr. Colijn to form another, but on July 8 she granted his request to be relieved of this task. The Queen then called upon Dr. Dionysius Koolen, a Roman Catholic; but when on July 13 he, too, asked to be relieved of the task, the Queen again sent for Dr. Colijn who on July 24 finally succeeded in forming his fifth Cabinet. Four of the members, including Dr. Colijn, had been in the former Government, and five had made their careers in the Netherlands East Indies. The Cabinet, described as a business Ministry, was welcomed warmly by the Liberal and Protestant press, but was opposed by Roman Catholics and Socialists who had 31 and 23 seats respectively in the Lower House out of 100 members.

In outlining the aims of the new Government in the Lower House, Premier Colijn said that these included a sound ordinary budget, moderation of capital expenditure, some decentralization in administration, and a restoration of financial autonomy to the municipalities. Three days after it was formed, the Government by 55 to 27 received a vote of no confidence in the Lower House. Liberal Democrats and Communists voted with the Catholics and Socialists against the Government. On July 28 this short-lived Cabinet resigned.

After protracted negotiations, Dirk Jan de Geer, leader of the Christian Historical party in the Lower House, formed a cabinet on Aug. 9; this included two members of his own party, two Roman Catholics, and two Socialists, the latter being represented in the Government for the first time in history. The Christian Historical party, had, in many respects, the same program as former Premier Colijn's Anti-Revolutionaries. Three of the Ministers had been in Dr. Colijn's fourth Ministry, and four had no party affiliation. Premier de Geer, who had been Prime Minister from 1926 to 1929, took over the portfolio of Finance.

Defense Measures.

Throughout the year, owing to the critical international situation, military measures of a precautionary nature were taken. Both the navy and air force were rapidly expanded. The first training period for the army, which until a year ago had been five and one-half months, was extended to a maximum of two years; for the navy and coast defense, to a maximum of 21 months. At the same time the supplementary training term was almost doubled from 48 days to a maximum of 85 days.

Hundreds of machine-gun nests were constructed along the frontier; long rows of trees along many miles of roads were wired for explosives; newly-built fortifications at every bridge-head were manned day and night; anti-tank obstructions were placed at strategical points; batteries and land mines were spread along the border; and preparations were made to open the dikes and flood large sections of the country in case of invasion. Money was appropriated to provide anti-aircraft defense for the islands of Curacao and Aruba in the Netherlands West Indies. The naval defenses of the Netherlands East Indies were strengthened at an estimated cost of 15,000,000 guilders annually. (In 1939 the guilder was a fraction more than 53 cents.)

Foreign Relations.

Queen Wilhelmina, on Aug. 26 received the German Minister who informed her that Germany would respect the inviolability and integrity of the Netherlands in all circumstances. In return, Germany expected the Netherlands to observe strict neutrality. Two days later mobilization of the army and navy was ordered. Lieutenant General I. H. Raynders was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the army and navy by royal decree. On Sept. 1, a 'state of war' was promulgated and the next day martial law was declared. The mobilization fund was doubled to 200,000,000 guilders.

Relations with Belgium in 1939 were exceptionally close and cordial. Identical dangers and hopes made Netherlanders and Belgians more distinctly conscious of the conformity of their vital interests. In May Queen Wilhelmina went to Belgium for a state visit to return King Leopold's state visit of November 1938.

On Aug. 23 the Netherlands Government associated itself with Belgium and five other neutral nations of the Oslo group in a peace appeal drafted by King Leopold. At the end of August Queen Wilhelmina and King Leopold made a joint offer of mediation to Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland. On Nov. 7 Queen Wilhelmina received King Leopold and the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs at her palace in The House for a discussion of the international situation. As a result of this conference, Queen Wilhelmina and King Leopold renewed their offer of good offices to the belligerents. The replies to this offer left little hope for any peaceful settlement of the European War. Conferences of the Foreign Ministers of the Netherlands and of Belgium were held later in November and also of the Ministers of Economic Affairs of the two countries. The latter conferred on plans for increasing commerce between the Netherlands and Belgium.

Internal Affairs.

Preparations against invasion, the British blockade, and German submarine and mine warfare dealt a severe blow to the economy of the Netherlands. Shortly before hostilities began in Europe. Mendelssohn & Co., an important banking house in Amsterdam, which had confined its activities almost exclusively to international financing, of which it had virtually a monopoly in Western Europe, went into bankruptcy. Budget estimates showed a real deficit of 55,500,000 guilders for 1940 and 116,000,000 for 1941. The municipal income-tax was increased by 15 per cent for 1939 and by 45 per cent for 1940. The only new expenditures were for defense and for professional training of the unemployed. Despite the mobilization of 500,000 men, unemployment increased. British measures for examining shipping for contraband and the British conditional contraband list, which included nearly all commodities, disrupted the normal trade of Netherlands. One of the greatest marine disasters of 1939 was suffered by the Netherlands when the Simon Bolivar, a passenger liner, struck a mine and sank in the North Sea, with over a hundred lives lost. Several other vessels flying the flag of the Netherlands were torpedoed or struck mines. The British decision to seize all exports of German ownership or origin caused the Netherlands Government to make a formal demarche to the British Foreign Office reserving all her rights under international law.

In November, the foreign press reported the Netherlands to be in danger of imminent invasion from Germany. The Netherlands had been warned on several occasions by the German press that submission to the British contraband control would be considered as a violation of neutrality. Premier de Geer reassured the nation in a speech in which he stated that the Government had complete faith in assurances received from both warring parties that the neutrality of the Netherlands would be respected. As 1939 drew to a close, all political groups, with the exception of the Communists whose numbers are insignificant, were solidly behind the Government. See also RELIGION: Jews.