Between the devil and the deep blue sea - University of Canterbury

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Nevertheless, it felt compelled to take some emergency steps to protect consumers and
financial markets alike and alleviate some of the most obvious supply concerns.72
In August 1914, recognising the likelihood of grain shortages, the govermnent
imported grain, and sold it at a peacetime price to bakers, who were required to sell their
goods at normal prices. 73 Establishing maximum prices for essential goods became standard
government practice. 74 Likewise, the Minister of Agriculture, Trade and Industry, imposed
export prohibitions on goods that were in short supply and legislated powers to
municipalities to requisition foodstuffs if necessary?5 The state also requisitioned stocks of
certain materials needed by the military, including steel, iron, cotton and wool. Combatting
smuggling was another way of keeping goods in the country. Alongside municipal councils,
"state of siege" commanders also used their authority to apportion certain goods, issue
ration cards to residents and supervise what shopkeepers bought and sold on a weekly
basis. 76
Until mid-1916, the government left the impact of supply problems largely to
private organisations, including the Koninklijke Nationale Steuncomite (Royal National
Support Committee).77 The Queen established the SuppOli Committee with help from the
Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Trade, W. F. Treub, on 10 August 1914, to give
financial and material aid to any individual or company adversely affected by the war
crisis. 78 The Committee quickly developed into a massive organisation with affiliated
associations all around the country. Initially, most of its financial support came from
donations (for example, all Netherlands Overseas' Trust (NOT) profits were paid out to the
royal charity),79 although very quickly its responsibilities became so widespread that it
relied heavily on state funding, and by 1918 was almost completely dependent on
n See: Chapter 3, pp. 111 - 113.
73 Flier, War Finances pp. 39 - 40; Posthuma, "Food Supply and Agriculture" p. 224. Moeyes, Bliiten SelIot ably
details how some enterprising individuals made massive profits from the grain trade during the war (pp. 284 - 285).
74 L. Blickmann, "Distributiejaren" [Distribution years] in Bas (ed.), Gedenkboek 1898 - 1923 p. 577.
75 Treub, Oorlogstijd p. 43; G. Broekema, "Landbouw" [Agriculture] in Brugman (ed.), Nederland ill den
oorlogstijd. p. 290; G. G. Pekelharing, "De gemeente (in het bijzonder de gemeente Utrecht) en de distributie van
goederen in de jaren 1914 - 1920" [The municipality (in particular the municipality of Utrecht) and the distribution of
goods in the years 1914 - 1920] EcollomisclI- Historisch Jam'boek. Bijdragen tot de Economische Geschiedenis van
Nederland. 6,1920, pp. 1 - 2.
76 Pekelharing, "De gemeente" pp. 14 - 15.
77 A history of the Koninklijke Nationale Stelillcomite needs to be written. For a good overview of its activities see:
Mandere, "Nederland en Nederlanders" pp. 198 - 223; Moeyes, Bliiten Sellot pp. 175 - 178.
78 Treub, Oorlogstijd p. 123.
79 Ritter, De Donkere Poort Volume 1, p. 103.