South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-11

THE arrival in this country Just few
weeks ago OF Mrs. Adolphus Busch,
the multi-millionaire widow, OF St
Louis, who had been living in Germany
for several years. has brought to light an
interesting situation which, so far as there
is any record. has never before actually
existed IN history. Although Mrs Busch,
whose husband was the famous brewer
Adolphus Busch, and who is herself the
~Anheuser" Of the widely known An
heuser-Busch." is really the richest widow
IN the world. with more than sixty mil
lions OF dollars in money and properties.
yet her return to the United States has re-
vealed her as literally woman without
q country"
II was not so many years ago that a
great New England clergyman, Edward
Everett Hale. created that classic, The
Man Without a Country" This book be-
came famous throughout the world, for
It made It's readers realize for the first
time Just what~a tragedy it would be for
anyone to De without a flag: without the
patriotic home ties OF a nation which he
could call his own; really without home
among all the peoples OF the earth.
But no one thought such a thing could
actually happen. II seemed too great
tragedy TO occur to any one in real life But
the war has brought an almost similar
situation to the rich Mrs. Busch, OF st.
Louis.
Technically, Mrs. Busch is a citizen OF
the United States. But part Of her vast
estate though. is in Germany. She owns
castles, villas, stocks and bonds and even
part OF a great ammunition plant in Prus-
sia. SO. when the United States declared
war upon Germany the Prussian Govern
ment promptly declared Mrs Busch, who
was then living IN the great Villa Lilly,
near Berlin. an estate named after her and
presented her by her husband as a golden
wedding gift to be an alien enemy Of her
husbands fstherland All her fortune in
Germany was seized by the Government.
Even the Jewels she kept in safety deposit
vaults IN German banks were taken and
turned into the German war fund
The Kaiser did not put Mrs. Busch in
prison. or intern her, for she is more than
seventy years old and besides. her hus-
band had been one OF the Kaiser's closest
friends He explained through his Min
listers. that the seizure OF he property was
regrettable, but unavoidable. because II
the Government made an exception in her
case other American citizens who owned
property In Germany would expect the
same consideration.
Then Mrs. Busch wanted 10 return 10
America. where she had many more mil
lionJ IN business properties. residences and
bonds. But IL was long time before the
German Government would consent to her
departure II had 20 be arranged in a
roundabout way with the State Depart
ment Of this country and that took much
time. Mrs Busch's personal attorney.
Harry Halves. OF St. Louis, spent nine
months IN Switzerland completing nego-
tiations for the passage OF Mrs Busch.
even after both Governments had given
their consent 10 her return 10 America
And then when the rich widow. whose
family Is one OF the best known In the
United States. arrived here she was
promptly arrested and held In custody by
this Government. while the Alien Enemy
Property Custodian, A Mitchell Palmer.
issued orders that all Mrs Busch's great
American estate. totalling so many mil
IONS that even now its value can only be
guessed AZ. be taken over by the United
States on the grounds that Mrs Busch was
ir reality, a resident OF Germany. Under
she Custodian's ruling the complete title 20
all that Mrs Busch owned in America
passed. without condition. to the Govern
saent OF the United States, to be sold
gaortgaged. transferred managed or ap-
pr0Dristed Just as the Government might
aaa AZ