File No. 763.72112/1270

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

No. 129]

Sir: There is enclosed a copy of a letter from P. C. Tomson and Company, dated June 23, 1915,1 in regard to the procedure necessary [Page 276] to obtain shipment of goods to the Netherlands. You will notice that in the letter of the American Importing Company, quoted in this letter, it is stated:

We are not able to receive any goods, unless they are consigned to the Netherlands Oversea Trust Company, which concern however are not willing to have our goods addressed to them, because we are an American firm and they only give their assistance to Dutch concerns.

The Department has not been informed that the Netherlands Oversea Trust is unwilling to accept the consignment of American goods intended for American firms in the Netherlands.

You are instructed to investigate this matter and report to the Department whether this statement of the American Importing Company is in fact in accordance with the practice of the Netherlands Oversea Trust, as well as any other instances of an apparent discrimination against American and in favor of Dutch firms.

I am [etc.]

John E. Osborne
  1. Not printed.