Office of the Historian

File No. 763.72112/1169

The Minister in the Netherlands (Van Dyke) to the Secretary of State

[Telegram]
The Hague, May 25, 1915.
[Received 10.30 a. m.]

270. Your 155, 22d. Tobacco from Netherlands colonies may come to Holland consigned to agents of colonial estates for sale at auction without restriction to both neutrals and belligerents. Tobacco from all other sources must be consigned to Netherlands Oversea Trust and may not be exported to belligerent countries. This is not discrimination made by Netherlands Government but modus vivendi arranged by Allies with Oversea Trust based on theory that Netherlands and colonies are one country.

Van Dyke