Social democratic governments are under pressure in Britain, The Netherlands and West Germany. Premier Joop den Uyl’s Cabinet collapsed last week.

It was supposed to be a festive birthday party. The European Community turned 20 last week, and leaders of its nine member states celebrated the anniversary by gathering in the damask-lined hall atop Rome’s Capitoline Hill where the unique organization was born.

But the mood in the hall was…

The Netherlands is the only European nation under a total Arab oil embargo. Den Uyl was coming under increasing public pressure for the bravely outspoken ways of his government.

THE NETHERLANDS

When Dutch Prime Minister Joop den Uyl arrived at Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium last week to attend the Holland-Belgium soccer match, a chorus of boos and catcalls rose from the capacity crowd of 65,000. A week earlier he probably would have been cheered.

The difference a week made lay…

Oil production will be lowered again this month. In The Netherlands, Prime Minister Joop den Uyl pedaled to work on a bike, and a strict ban was imposed on Sunday driving.

Rushing to work last week, John Doe, American, swung his car onto the freeway—only to discover that the posted speed limit had been reduced from 60 m.p.h. to 50 m.p.h. When he stopped at a gas station for a refill, he learned that overnight the price had gone up…