The Washington herald., 1918-12-23
WOULD USE FOE
CASH FOR DEBT
Holland Tells Attitude of
A. Mitchell Palmer To-
ward Property,


sometime in mid-autumn A Mitch
en- rainier. Custodian OF Alien Prop
erty' appeared Informally before a
sroup of men who knew something
OF ahen properties In the United
states and who were anxious 10
iearn what Mr.. Palmer's view Is re-
spectlng the sale of these properties
ana the disposition of the funds.
Aithough he spoke as one who was
me cente- of a company of friends
ana therefore. partly in confidence.
yet some of the suggestions he brought
10 the attention Of these men. and
especially one purpose which he had
IN mind, were deemed of such inn
portance that IL was not easy TO
maintain confidence.
Mr.. Palmer hoped that he would
De able, after proper authority were
conferred upon him. or IL the inter-
probation of the Legislation under
which he acts would permit. TO hold
the money received for the sale of
German properties, so that he might
be able to disburse it in the settle
ment of claims which American citi-
zens had against Germany or Ger
man merchants or manufacturers
Perhaps additional legislation NAV he
needed to do this. 1t may be that
the millions. which soon will be an
proximately s1.00o. .0o0.ooo, which Mr..
Palmer has already received and will
receive on account of the sale of
German-owned properties in the
United States, may be considerably
In excess of the aggregate of Amer.
lean claims against Germany.
Recently there has come TO the
attention of Mr.. Palmer a single
case involving no more than $4,000
and this may prove to be a test
case The story behind 1t contains
an Interesting and almost romantic
incident associated with the early
days in the war. A year or two
before the war began the Austrian
government entered into contract
with the Niles-Dement-Po Man
Co. with intent to secure
a boring machine which would
when in operation, bore out a can
non which when under manufac-
ture would have the largest capac-
ity of any gun then manufactured
in Austria. Although to expert
workmen was committed the re-
sponsibiity of manufacturing this
apparatus. nevertheless the work
involved long time. Manufactur-
ers OF apparatus of that kind saw
that at least one year and some
times two years are needed to com
plete the manufacture of both ma
chinery and of the great guns
winch the machinery perfects.
Delivered 10 Austria.
This apparatus, the largest of its
kind ever made in thesUnited States.
or probably anywhere else, repre-
senting when completed operations
of the company's Ohio. Philadelphia
and other plants, was shipped to
Austria within the time fixed by
the contract. Austria set up the
machinery and with it manufactur-
ed to the approval OF the Austrian
government the very largest can
mons which were subsequently used
in the war
Prompt payment was made. The
funds were deposited in one OF the
Vienna banks to the credit OF the
American manufacturers. This was
done only a day or two before Ger
many and Austria began the war.
Ihcy hotd Money tp-
The Austrian government there
fore placed a restriction of the
sending of this money to the Amer
lean manufacturers so that this
company has never been able to Sc
cure the money deposited in the
Vienna bank to the company's
credit.
Having seen in this column a re-
port of the statement made by Mr..
Palmer to a group of friends in New
York, the company sought a confer
ence with Mr.. Palmer. They learned
that IL court Of competent juris-
diction should decide that the claim
is a valid one, Mr.. Palmer, should
he come into possession of funds
from the sale of property which he
could properly utilize in the pay
ment of this claim. would gladly do
so. He however would not feel jus
titled in paying over the money un-
less II came from sources directly
responsible to the American COM
pany.
hmm mediately proceedings were
brought in the United States courts
at Trenton and should the court de-
clare the claim to be a valid one.
then in case Mr.. Palmer has appro-
pirate funds in hand he will pay the
money over to this company. This
action may serve as a test case. 1t
is sure to be closely followed by
American citizens who have claims
against Germany or Germans. II
the test proves satisfactory it is
likely TO be adopted in many cases.
so that millions of American claims
will be liquidated by Mr.. Palmer in
this way.
Three Strange Coincidence.
In many of the published reports OF
the death few days ago of James q.
BloSs, reference was made to the un-
usual. almost unique. friendship
which bordered on affection that
characterized the relation long estab-
lished between John w. Sterling and
Mr.. Bloss. Both were bachelors. both
were of far more than local reputa-
tions, Mr.. Sterling being esteemed one
OF the ablest of New York lawyers.
and Mr.. Bloss highly regarded in the
world of bankers. One of these men
was almost taciturn and excessively
devoted to his profession. He was a
lawyer who sat before his desk ev-
cry morning not later than O'Clock
and was usually the last one in the
ONCE to close the desk and go to
his home. Mr.. Bloss. on the other
and. was fond of reasonable indul-
gence. very companionable, tempera-
mentally far different from Mr.. Ster-
ling; yet in spite of or possibly be-
cause Of these different Characters
tics these two men established. years