The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-26
KEEN REGRET FELT
 OVER RETIREMENT
 OF DUTCH FINANC|ER
Frederik Treub Had Accom-, plished Wonders Since Be ginning of War-Suc-
 ceSsor Well Received

The Hague, Netherlands, March b, Correspondence of the Associated Presst The recent retirement of the Dutch min ister of finance, Professor Marie Wallem Frederick Treub, who since the outbreak of war mas been q far more prominent figure in the cabinet than theN minister of war and perhaps more in the limelght even than the prime minister MT. Cort van der Linden himself-evoked d feeling of regret almost of dismay in wide circles here. The selection of his successor Dr. Anton van Gym, has, however, been very well received and is generally regarded as about the best and safest that could have Leen made.
 The fall of the energetic forceful, al most autocratic, Ericsson Treub, who car rfed through the big war loan and has but recently introduced a whole set of measures to entirely reform the coun- try's taxation system and incidentally produce a big increase in revenues was the direct result of d vote of censure passed in the second chamber of the Dutch Parliament, in connection with what seemed a somewhat trivial dispute concerning the order of dealing with the governments legislative programme. The event led, however. to various surmses, it being openly suggested in one or two quarters that the fall was case of min isterial suicide for personal reasons. This. however, is emphatically denied by the retiring minister himself
 The treasurer general, the new minister has been Professor Treubs CO., worker in the department of finance, having been 1t the head of the treasury for over 10 years. He was as d matter of fact of fered and declined in 1913 the portfolio he has now under pressure accepted IT.
 
 the daily adviser of four successive minis ters of finance so that he is far from being a stranger to the duties he is talk ing up. Moreover. his appointment ac- cords With the extra parliamentary char acter of the whole ministry. which was formed by ar 'outsder after the general election when the parties constituting the left majority failed to come to an agree ment fer the formation of a cabinet.
 The crisis had threatened seriously to en6aneer the big legislative programme of the government, but this danger has been largely lessened by a division of tn heavy burden that had rested on Pro- lessor Treub's shoulders. While Dr. van Gym will, it is understood, retain the tax bills of his predecessor with a view to rescuing the country's finances from the perilous positions in which the war crisis Las thrown them, he is to be relieved of the social insurance section of his de- Iartment, which passes to tEe minister Of waterways and public works, Dr. C. Lely, who will thus have charge of the old age pensions bill that forms so promi- l rent an item in the governments rro- gramnle.
 II is generally recognized that if Dr., van Gym succeeds in finding the big sums of money that will be essential in 1 the next year or two to meet the strain O. tie long mobilization and the war ! crisis generally. and and in carrying l through and prev iding for the war loans, l he will have desrved well of his coun- try. Nc cue ca:. set t>l what further strain may vet be put upon the little kingdom of the Netherlands in it's perilous ] position in the midst of the great Euro lean 6cltlagra ton,