The midland journal., 1917-10-26

the UnJteu states through an agency u
branch office, or otherwise, which shall
make application within 80 days of Octo-
ber 6. 1917 (The date the act was ap.
proved.)
Censorship Power Complete.
The Censorship Board is entrusted With
the Censorship of communication by mail,
cable, radio or other means of transmission
passing between the United States and any
foreign country from time to time specified
by the President, or carried by any vessel
or other means of transportation touching
at any port, place or territory Of the United
States and bound to or from any foreign
country"
Among the most important and far-reach-
ing of the provisions of the enemy act, says
an official statement explaining the law,
"are those dealing with the taking over by
this Government of the custody and control
of enemy property within the United
States.
"The property affected by these provis-
ions is that which is located in the United
States and belongs to any person or cor
poration that is an enemy or ally Of
enemy within the definition of the act re-
ferred to above, except those licensed to
continue doing business in the United
States. German subjects and the subjects
Of her allies resident in the United States
tionality, fall within these definitions. The
act makes 1t the duty Of every concern
within the United States issuing shares Of
stock within 60 days after the approval OF
the act to report to the Alien Property
Custodian the names of such of its officers,
directors and stockholders as are known
to be or reasonably believed to be enemies
or allies of enemy and the amount of stock
or shares owned by each.
Tabs On All Enemy Business.
"The act provides in addition, under
severe penalties that every person in the
United States holding a property for an
enemy or ally of enemy or for any per-
son whom he may have reasonable cause to
believe to be an enemy or ally of enemy
must report the fact to the Alien Property
Custodian within 80 days after the passage
Of the act. So also any person in the
United States indebted in any way to an
enemy or ally of enemy or to person
whom he may have reasonable cause to
believe to be an enemy or ally of enemy
must make similar report"
The Alien Property Custodian may re-
quire a transfer to himself Of any prop
erty held for or debt owed to an enemy or
enemy ally. and any person SO holding any
property or so owing any money may
transfer such property or pay such money
to the custodian with his consent.
Property or money transferred to the
Alien Property Custodian will be held until
the end of the war and then dealt with as
Congress shall direct. ALI funds or ready
money may be invested in Liberty bonds
| and held in such form.
The President~has delegated to the At
torney General the power to direct the pay
ment of claims against enemy property in
the hands of the custodian, upon the con-
sent of all nprSOnS interested.
The definition of an enemy" or "ally
of enemy" is explicit. Any person regard
less of nationality, who resides within the
territory of the German Empire or the terri
tory of any of it's allies, or that occupied
by their military forces is expressly made
an enemy" or ally of enemy" by the act
Even citizens of the United States remain
ing within such territory are regarded as
''enemies" or "allies of an enemy"
An enemy or "ally of enemy" doing
business within the United States before
November may apply for license to con-
tinue to do business in the United States.
Some Aliens Exempt.
"The main application of these provi
sions," the official statement says, will
be to German or ally of German concerns
which are doing business in the United
States through branch houses or agents of
such insurance or reinsurance companies.
Such an enemy or ally of enemy may con-
tinue to do business within the United
States until such applications are acted
upon
The license provisions of the act do not
| apply to Germans, Austrians, Turks, or
Bulgarians doing business in the United
States and having no business connections
with interests actually operating in Germany
or her allied countries. Thus, thousands
Of alien enemies having small business es-
| Establishments in the United States need not
apply for license to continue operation un-
+ less they have dealing with companies hav
| ing connections in enemy" "ally Of
enemy" territory. The act authorizes the
President to declare all these alien enemies
| subjct to license regulations, but has not
extended the provisions to these persons by
his order.