What the law of the matter may be is a little hard to say, seeing that the armistice itself is so unusual as to be almost unprecedented, but in any case it is not clear how the movement of German troops across Dutch territory after fighting had stopped harmed the allies. But throughout the last two years of the war Holland has been not a little exercised by a propaganda for a bigger Belgium, which was to be created in part at Holland's expense, and by a parallel demand in England for giving to Belgium the left bank of the Scheldt with a view to keeping that river open to British ships of war as far as Antwerp.
The position of Holland has been very difficult indeed, and its feud with Great Britain was perhaps more serious than is realized in this country, especially after the British cut off its communication with its colonies and the stubborn Netherlanders retorted by using German wireless for communication with the East Indies. Holland may have not a little reason for anxiety till the peace conference is over.—Springfield Republican.
EERMES GET TASTE INHABITANTS OF COLOGNE LAUGHED AT BRITISH REGULATIONS—ARE FINED COLOGNE. — (By the Associated Press.)—Last night and the night before the Germans experimented with mild defiance of martial law as instituted by the British troops of occupation. When the British issued their edict that the civilians, with certain exceptions, must be off the streets at 7 o'clock in the evening, and then, thinking this too severe, altered the hour to 9 o'clock, many persons declared they would not be able to stand up.  cided the order was a mere formality and meant nothing. 