Dutch Parliament rejected naval bill according to the Dutch newspaper Dutch newspaper Suriname: koloniaal nieuws- en advertentieblad dated 20 November 1923

Dutch naval shipbuilding wasn’t popular in the politics in the years before the Second World War. The Netherlands succeeded in maintaining the neutrality during the First World War and although there were plans to built battleships they were never realized despite  that except the needs for a defence of the Netherlands and her merchant trade interests the possession of colonies in the East and West Indies. In the twenties a bill for a new program didn’t make it. The Second Chamber of the Dutch parliament rejected the bill with just one vote! 50 against 49. Against were the complete left wing and the Catholics Michielsen, Loeracker, Mrs. Bronsveld-Vitringa, Bomans, Van Schaik,Bulten, Van Schaick, Bulten, Suring, Kuiper, Engels and Van Rijzewijk.