[3] After graduating, Rutgers left for Dutch East Indies (nowadays: Indonesia) to work for the Department of Agriculture.

[4] The Great Depression also caused an economic crisis in Suriname,[5][2] and attempts to stimulate agriculture failed.

[2] In December 1932, Anton de Kom, a communist who was born in Suriname, was told that his mother was very ill. Rutgers was notified of his arrival, and ordered a constant watch.

[11] On 6 July 1933, Algemeen Handelsblad complimented Rutgers on lowering the deficit in Suriname despite an economic depression and less income.

[2] Starting in 1943, Rutgers served in the Vaderlandsch Comité, a resistance organisation[2] headed by the later Prime Minister Willem Drees, which sent advice and intelligence to the Dutch government-in-exile.

[16] Between 1950 and 1953, Rutgers was a member of the Van Schaik Commission which was tasked to make a general review of the Constitution of the Netherlands.