File No. 855.48/169
The Minister in the Netherlands ( Van Dyke ) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 6.]
Sir: In connection with the work of the Commission for Relief in Belgium, I have the honor to report that the Netherlands Government has granted free use of the Government railways for the transportation of relief supplies to the Belgian border, and free use of the Netherlands Postal and Telegraphic Service for the transmission of the letters and telegrams of the commission. I report this as indicating the Netherlands Government’s willingness to assist in every possible way with the work which the commission is doing.
I have also requested the Foreign Office here to designate two Netherlands citizens who might be employed in the office of the Rotterdam branch of the commission, in order to secure a full understanding and cooperation on the part of the Dutch authorities with the details of the commission’s work. This has been done.
The Netherlands Government has also granted an exemption from the payment of import duty, and from the giving of surety for the twelve motor cars employed by the commission in service between Holland and Belgium, and vice versa.
I have [etc.]