Evening star., 1917-05-16
.SEESADEL|CATE ISSUE
FACING UNITED STATES
Prof. Hendrix w. Van Loon Dis
cusses Proposed Embargo on
Goods Intended for Neutrals. =

This country faces tho delicate and
difficult problem Of an embargo on All
goods destined for the neutral nations
which arc the neighbors OF the Teu-
tonic powers, and more especially an
embargo directed against Holland. &C.
cording to Hendrix WIllem Van Loon Of
Cornell University.
Before America delivers hnal
ut may be well to comprehend Hol-
lands situation. 1t Is all very well to
defy the German power at distance
of 5000 miles. It becomes different
matter when the frontier runs through
your own back yard"
Prof. Van Loon, in a communication
to The Star. describes the operation OF
the Netherlands Oversee Trust Com
pany, through which Holland has main
tanned trade relations with her colonies
satisfactory assurance to Great Britain
that none of her imports was sold to
Germany.
Managed by Men of Standing.
The company is private corporation.
managed by men of high commercial
standing, who receive no pay for their
services. An importer must deposit
twice the amount of the purchase price
Of the goods imported. and then comply
with legal processes tending to guar
antee that the goods will not go to
to go through a similar procedure.
"The import Of miscellaneous articles
into Holland has been almost entirely
stopped by the war" Prof Van Loon
ger and starvation. the food supply has
demanded the full attention OF the gov
ernment. Grain and wheat and flour
are not imported by the Netherlands
Oversee Trust Company. They are
bought directly by Dutch agents in
America.
They are sent across the ocean in
ships which have been chartered di-
rectly by the Dutch government and
they are sold by the Dutch government
ounce Of flour reaches the central
powers"
Prof. Van Loon explains that Holland
kept no trade statistics before the war.
Therefore when the war broke out the
allies asked the government to esti-
mate how much was needed to keep the
country's people alive. The government
guessed, and guessed wrong. The ma
tion began to eat more. Half million
people who had been at clerical work
arduous physical labor. First and last
100000 Belgian refugees have been fed.
Grain Shipped Is insufficient.
During the last two months, the
writer states. the grain export from
than half the amount necessary to feed
Holland. If this condition continues. he
predicts, Hollands people and their
guests will go hungry. He admits that
Holland sells vegetables and butter and
a certain number Of cows to the Ger
mans, but argues that this is q neces-
sary exchange, and is not an export
trade.
"The distribution of Dutch agricul-
tural products has been the subject of
many very delicate diplomatic negotia-
tions between both Great Britain and
Germany and Holland" Prof. Van Loon
says. "A final agreement WAS reached
several months ago. The. English share
is bigger than the German share, and
Germany has often complained about
the deal"
He believes that the Dutch govern
ment will cooperate with the State De-
partment in order that fair settlement
may be reached, and he urges that the
side Of Holland be heard before a de-
cision is reached which might serious
ly affect neutral.