The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-05-04
THE OVERSEE TRUST
MAKES NO PROFIT
It Is, However, Doing Notable Service
to Holland During the Present
War Crisis.

THE HAGUE, Holland, April -. -
Correspondence Of The Associated
Press "A fine example of Dutch en-
ergy and determination, combined with
readiness 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 a trading concern
but a national institution founded to
meet and overcome difficulties placed
in the way of Dutch commerce bv the
declaration of blockades by the central
European 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 cen
trail institution to supervise Dutch com
merce in order to prevent Holland
falling unwittingly into difficulties
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 I'M
dertake the task of organization.
The efforts of Great Britain and
| France TO prevent goods which they
had declared contraband from getting
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 conse-
quently almost always held up and
searched for absolute or conditional
contraband, which, when found among
their cargoes, was confscated. 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. @. t. as the new institu
ton soon became known. It's mem
bers were drawn from the leading
commercial men, importers, shippers
and bankers, and it was able in ;
short time to win the respect and con
! fidence of the foreign governments
which soon found they were dealin:
| with a trustworthy body and permitted
the much-needed raw materials anC
fOodstuffs for Holland itself to b,
taken through their patrolling lines O
war-vessels and brought to the Neither
lands. The sole condition was tina
Dutch merchantmen were obliged Il
carry papers showing that the cargoe
were consigned to the Netherland
L
antor for the good name and good fait1
of the merchants who eventually wer
to receive them.
Success was complete, and Dutc
commerce and industry. which other
wise would have been almost entirel
suspended, We're kept going PRACTICAL
without interruption, so that after min
months Of war, Holland is able to sa
that taken in its broad lines it's econom
ic life has been only to a very Sigh
degree affected by the hostilities pre-
Iceeding on all the frontiers of III
country.
The operative methods of the Netl
4 erlands Oversee Trust are very sin
] pie. Every would-be importer or e,
I Iporter must first apply to the organic;
ton which inquiries into the genuine
! ness of the business and besides d.
: handing bank guarantee require
proof that the goods are not being e,
ported for the account of any perso
% or firm belonging to a nation at wa
<. or on the other side not being importt
e. to Holland in order to be sent into an
= other country, but purely for consum
to tion in Holland. The amount Of Il
Sc bank guarantee, in case of the trad
- not keeping his word, is confscate
&c A body of controllers looks closely i
to the eventual destination of t
. goods concerned and any breach
til trust is quickly known.
8. The cost of the work of the NethC
- lands Oversee Trust, which has do
ce, such notable service to Holland 1uri
7" the crisis, is only one-eighth of one p
N cent of the value of the goods handle
a., The trust makes no profit. any surpl
ZEN left from the percentage charged goi
. to the national relief funds.
an 1t is not only in connection with t
&C. prevention Of contraband going in
Is. Germany and Austria that the trust
lrk concerned. Germany also has recC
ice nized the utility of working through
n and now permits several much-need
~: articles to be exported to Holland,
ter at first declining to do so owl
~. to fears that they might pet into (
rs: hands of her enemies Under
ISL guarantee of the Oversee Trust. /
- chief of these articles, sugar beet Sc,
yis. is now allowed free exit from Germa
to the Netherlands. and a great
20. dustry has thus been saved from te
~ pOrary destruction.
tie