FLOODED-OUTDUTCH
RESIST ORDER TO GO
Some in Town Hide and Others
Are Removed by Police
2 Dikes Break in Belgium
By DANIEL L. SCHORR
Special to The New York Times.
ZIERIKZEE, The Netherlands,
Feb. 15Despite imminent flood
danger, some of the people of this
eleven-century-old town have de
fied a Government evacuation
order, some are being taken to
boats by the police and many are
reported to have gone into hiding.
Burgomaster Schuurbeque Boe-
yen said tonight that the authori
ties were confronted with people
who said, "We just won't go." He
added that in the last three days
about 1,000 had been removed and
estimated that there were 1,500
to 2,000 still to go.
The center of Zierikzee yras
spared by the Feb. 1 flood, which
inundated nine-tenths of the is
land of Schouwen-Duiveland. Only
about a quarter of a square mile is
dry at high tide, and in this and in
this little sanctuary people have
been living crowded forty to fifty
in a house.
Surrounded by flooded lands,
Zierikzee has only one escape route
through its harbor, which has
become partly silted up and is fur-
Ither endangered by breaks in the
dikes creating crosscurrents that
hamper shipping. When it appeared
that near-by dikes were in danger
of crumbling and the town would
be inundated, the Government de
cided to evacuate before tomor
row's spring tide all except dike
workers and personnel needed to
operate necessary services.
All Summoned to Register
It was estimated that 4,000 of
the original population of 7,000 re
mained and of these about 3,500
were directed to leave. A procla
mation called the inhabitants to
register. Those allowed to remain
were given special permits and
the others were to leave on ves
sels brought here for the purpose.
In the case of shopkeepers, for
example, lots were cast so that
two grocers, two shoemakers and
one barber would be allowed to
stay.
But rumblings of defiance began
to spread through the town. The
inhabitants said they saw no rea
son to leave and would rather face
any danger here than move. Some
expressed fear that their belong
ings would be rifled if they left.
Appeals were broadcast in the
name of the Burgomaster, of Min
ister of Interior Louis Beel and
finally of Prince Bernhard. But
hundreds continued their defiance.
Police reinforcements moved in
and started systematic searches,
arresting people who had no per
mits and escorting them to boats.
But tonight, close to the deadline
for evacuation, the operation was
from finished.
With boats available to evacuate
1,000, only 200 appeared at the
quayside today. Almost all had
resentful remarks to make about
official "stupidity" and "arbitrari
ness." One shoemaker seemed
more resigned to his fate. He said,
"I might as well leave. With every
body wearing rubber boots, there
are no shoes to repair anyway."
IA phrase popular during the
German occupation has regained
currency in the last few days. It
is "diving under"the Dutch way
of expressing the idea of going
into hiding. How many are hiding
cannot be determined until the po
lice comb all attics and closets.
With a mournful sigh, the Bur
gomaster said, "I don't think many
will succeed in diving under."
New Breaks in Belgium
LONDON, Feb. 15 (UP)—Surg
ing spring tides smashed through
hurriedly plugged dikes in Belgium
tonight, but in the Netherlands and
Britain the newest battle against
the sea appeared to have been won.
Dikes along the Scheldt River
were breached, and more water
flowed into the already inundated
lands upriver from Antwerp. The
breaks occurred at Temse and
Bornem. All villagers were re
moved before the waters rose.
Belgian troops, held in reserve
further inland, were rushed to the
scene for emergency repairs.
Troops were also at work strength
ening and heightening the dikes at
Rupelmonde and Melsele, where
the waters flowed over the bar-
riers.
In the Netherlands radio-
equipped teams patroled dikes, and
tens of thousands of troops and
civilian volunteers were ready for
emergency duty.
The high tides will continue for
two or three more days, but there
was growing optimism that new
disaster had been averted.
Thousands of flood fighters were
on duty along the 300-mile east
coastline of Britain from Lincoln
shire to the Thames Estuary. Ex
perts measured the tide's height
every ten minutes, but said even
tomorrow's highest tides were ex
pected to do no major damage.
