The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-30
Netherlands
CverSea Trust
In Holland
(By Associated Press. }


The Hague, Holland, April 30
A fine example Of Dutch energy and
determination, combined with readi-
ness to meet new conditions, has
been brought to the front in Holland
since the outbreak of the war in the
person of Cornelis ]. X. van Aalst,
the organizer of the Netherlands
Oversee Trust. This is not trad
ing concern but a national institu-
tion founded to meet and overcome
difficulties placed in the way Of
Dutch commerce by the declaration
of blockades by the central Europ-
can allies on the one side and the
powers of the Triple Entente on the
other.
1t was found necessary in the
first days of the war crisis to form
a central institution to supervise
Dutch commerce in order to prevent
Holland falling unwillingly into diff
ficulties which might involve her in
the world conflict, and Mr.. van
Aalst, who is president of one of the
leading banks of the Netherlands,
consented to undertage the task of
organization.
The efforts of Great Britain and
France to prevent goods which they
had declared contraband from get
ting to their foes through neutral
channels had to be met. Dutch
ships were among the first suspected
of carrying on this trade, and they
were consequently almost always
held up and searched for absolute
or conditional contraband, which,
when found among their cargoes,
was confiscated The delay and loss
were often very serious for the
Dutch merchants
This matter was taken In hand by
Mr.. van Aalst and his colleagues of
the "N. o. T." as the new institu-
tion soon became known. It's men,
bers were drawn from the leading
commercial men, importers. shippers
and bankers, and it was able in a
short time to win the respect and
confidence of the foreign govern
ments, which soon found they were
dealing with a Trustworthy body
and permitted the much-heeded raw
materials and foodstuffs for Holland
itself to be taken through their pa
trolling lines of war-vessels and
brought to the Netherlands. The
sole condition was that Dutch mer-
chantmen were obliged to carry pa
pers showing that the cargoes were
consigned to the Netherlands Over
sea Trust. which stood good as
guarantor for the good name and
good faith of the merchants who
eventually were to receive them.
Success was complete. and Dutch
commerce and industry, which
otherwise would have been almost
entirely suspended. were kept going
practically without interruption, so
that after nine months Of war, Hol-
land is able to>say that, taken in its
broad lines. its economic life has
been only to very slight degree at
fected by the hostilities proceeding
on all the frontiers of the country
The operative methods Of the
Netherlands Oversee Trust are very
simple. Every would-be importer or
exporter must apply to the organiza-
ton which inquiries into the gen.
uineness of thebusiness and besides
demanding a bank guarantee re-
quires proof that the goods are not
being exported for the account OF
any person or firm belonging to a
nation at war, or on the other side
not being imported to Holland in
order to be sent into any other coun-
try, but purely for consumption In
Holland. The amount of the bank
guarantee, in case of the trader not
keeping his word, is conficated. A
body Of controllers looks closely in
to the eventual destination Of the
goods concerned and any breach OF
! trust is quickly known.
The cost of the work Of the
Netherlands Oversee Trust, which
has done such notable service to
Holland during the crisis, is only
Is of one per cent. Of the calue OF