Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-03
DUTCH ENERGY SEEN
|NCOMMERCE MOVE
Formation of Oversee Trust
Overcomes Effects of BEL
Iigerent BIockades.
ITS OPERATIONS INSPIRE
CONFIDENCE ON NATIONS
Economic Life of Holland Vastly
..ided by Efforts of Organization
at Slight Cost.


fine example of Dutch energy and de-
termination. 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 or
.anizer of the Netherlands Oversee
Trust This is not trading concern,
but a national institution founded to
meet and overcome difficulties placed
in the way of Dutch commerce by 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
,nerce in order to prevent Holland fall
ing unwittingly into difficulties which
might involve her in the world con-
fiict and Mr. van Aalst, who is presi-
dent OF one of the leading banks of
the Netherlands. consented to under
take the task of organization.
TIE efforts of Great Britain and
Trance to prevent goods which they
lad declared contraband from getting
10 their foes through neutral channels
had to be met
Ships Among First Suspected.
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 confis-
Gated The delay and loss were often
m
This matter was taken in hand by
Mr. van Aalst and his colleagues of
the N. o. t. as the new institution
soon became known Its members
were drawn from the leading COM
iasreial men. importers, shippers and
bankers and it was able in short
time to win the respect and confidence
of the foreign governments. which
soon found they were dealing with
trustworthy body and permitted the
much-needed raw materials and food
stuffs for Holland itself TO be taken
through their patrolling lines of war
vessels and brought to the Neither
lands. The sole condition was that
Dutch merchantmen were obliged to
carry papers showing that the cargoes
we're consigned to the Netherlands
Oversee Trust. which stood as guaran-
tor for the good name and good faith
Of the merchants who eventually were
10 receive them.
AAStAooo y Co 91AAPAC.
Success was complete, and Dutch
commerce and industry, which other
wise would have been almost entirely
suspended. were kept going practically
without interruption. SO that after nine
months of war Holland is able to say
that. taken in its broad lines. its eco
nomic life has been only to very
slight degree affected by the hostli
drra0 he Tf
the country.
The operative methods of the Neither
lsnds Oversee Trust are very simple.
Every would-be importer or exporter
must first apply to the orga nizatlon.
which inquiries into the genuineness of
the business. and, besides demand
ing bank guaranty, requires proof
that the goods are not being exported
FOR the account of any person or firm
belonging 10 a nation at war, or. on
the other side. not being imported to
Holland in order TO be sent into any
other country. but purely for consump-
tion in Holland. The amount of the
bank guaranty. in case of the trader
keeping his word. Is confiscated.
: body of controllers looks closely
into the eventual destination of the
goods concerned. and any breach of
trust is quickly known.
Trust Makes No Profit.
lands Oversee Trust. which has done
such notable service to Holland during
The crisis. is only one-eighth of ] per
cent of the value of the goods han
c:ed The trust makes no profit any sur
I.iGs left from the percentage charged
going to the national relief funds.
!, is not only in connection with the
ufevention of contraband going into
Germany and Austria that the trust is
concerned. Germany also has recog
uized the utility of working through
i and now permits several much
needed articles to be exported to Ho1-
land. after at first declining to do 50
owing to fears that they might get
INTO the hands of her enemies. Under
the guaranty of the oversee trust the
chief >of these ardc1es-sugar beet
seeds now allowed free exit from
Germany to the Nether1ands. and =
great industry has thus been saved
from temporary destruction