The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-03-08
RICH PROPERTY Of.
ENEMY IN AMERICA
TO Be CONF|SCATED.
ALSO HOLDINGS OF LARGE
GERMAN CAPITAL IN
MANY CITIES.
HIVE GRIP ON COUNTRY
A. Mitchell Palmer. Custodian OF
Alien Property in United States,
Tells Senators OF Existing Menace
in Teutonic Capitalistic Trust.

Washington, March S.-Property
in the United States owned by the
kaiser, former chancellor Won Beth
mann-Hollweg, the German Junk
ers" generally and the German gov
ernment itself. will be the first to 90
under the hammer under the plans
of A. Mitchell Palmer, alien prop
erty custodian, to sell German own
ed property here to the highest bid
derS.
Mr.. Palmer's testimony to the SEN
ate appropriations commite, IN
which he proposed necessary legis-
lation, which was made public to-
day, makes plain that properties OF
merely minor individuals probably
will not be sold. but that the direct
purpose of the move is to break up
the outpost or "kultur' in America.
The time has come" Mr.. Palmer
told the senators. when the owner
ship of some of these great German
properties should be permanently
separated from German capital and
that the enemy might as well know
that the connection which he has
been able to maintain with Ameri-
can industry and commerce is brok-
en-, not simply during the war. but
broken never to be restored.
Chain Through America.
"The German empire. through its
financial operations, has put an in
dustrial and commercial chain all
the way across the country and
through our insular possessions. We
have become convinced that it would
be wise and highly desirable at this
time if the ownership of some of
these properties could be perma-
nently taken away"
If the legislation be adopted, Mr..
Palmer stated, it was his intention
to sell principally properties in this
country in which the German gov
ernment and the "junker' capitals
tic class are interested, and not dis
turb that of minor individuals.
The Hamburg-American and
North German Lloyd wharves and
docks at Hoboken, N. j., Mr.. Palm
er told senator's, are "a part of the
German empires commercial grasp
upon this continent"
Senator Owens of Oklahoma said
he understood part of their stock is
owned by the kaiser, represented by
Herr Balm.
German Government Interested.
There is no question about the
intimate relationship between the
German government and the Ham
burg-American line" Mr.. Palmer
told the committee. Neither is there
any doubt about relations in the
German government and many 9th.
er great industrial enterprises ir
this country which have come with
in the control of the alien property
custodian"
Plans of the German shipping
lines 10 hold their dock properties
for extension of German comercC
after the war were disclosed by Mr.
Palmer, who added:
That is a fair indication of the
hope and purpose of enemy capita
that not only a day shall elaps,
when the war is over before they
again put their grip upon the com
merce and industry of America. Yol
cannot strike heavier blow at tn,
enemy today than to make him un
derStand that he has lost this con
nection with the industry and com
merce of the American continent.
"These large enterprises are close
ly affiliated with the German gov
ernment. Where a German subeci
has vast amount of investment
over here of private individual char
acter we ought not to disturb it, bu
these great concerns financed by tn