Was It a Scorched Earth Policy?

This was Hollandia’s only social rendezvous —the Yacht Club— built only a few years ago, at members’ expense. It burned to the ground in the midnight hours a couple of days before the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority assumed control in West New Guinea on October 1. Its end—whatever the cause—settled one thing: It was one building in Hollandia that didn’t fall into the hands of the incoming UNTEA or the Indonesians like an overripe plum and, like the rest of WNG real-estate, for nothing.

Some of its members were of the young and vigorous generation of colonial Dutch who felt bitterest about the Indonesian take-over; the thought that their club was to go the way of all else in the Terri tory irritated them exceedingly. About 100 of them had been in the club holding a “wake” fust half an hour before the premises burst mysteriously into flames. This caused considerable outside specu lation and the general observation that, if it were a bit of belated scorched-earth, it was a jolly good thing and that there should have been more of it! Some of the yachts attached to the club will be shipped to Holland; others disposed of in other ways; some of the power-boats have been bought by people in the Australian Territory.