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.