The Washington herald., 1919-08-24

must remain women without coun-
try" as each renounced their Ameri-
can citizenship when they married
the titled Teutons.
American wives OF titled Teutons
whose fortunes in this country were
seized by the alien property custodian
have no opportunity Of recovering the
impounded property until Congress
takes up the enemy trading act passed
as war measure. This act provides
that Congress shall determine what
disposition shall be made Of proper
ties taken over during the war under
its various articles. There is no in
dication that any action will be taken
on this matter for some time
MANY AMERICANS
UNHAPPY EXILES.
Word already has reached here that
one of these unhappy exiIes, the
Countess Laszlo Szechenyi, formerly
Gladys Vanderbilt, will hasten home,
the very moment the peace with Aus
tria is signed. TO be with her mother
at Newport
While the great holdings of the
Count Szechenyi in Austria and Hun
gary have been wiped out by the
war the American fortune Of his
wife amounts to about $50 900. al
though II still is in control of the
Alien Property Custodian.
Of this estate about 100000 Is in
vested in gilt-edge securities, and the
remaining 100000 comprises a trust
fund left to the Countess by her
father. the late Cornelius Vanderbilt
Unable to touch this money. una
BILE to return TO Budapest, or to her
wealthy kinsfolk here until the Aus
trtan peace is signed. there was but
one thing for the Countess to do
hasten TO Switzerland and live in
modest retirement in that haven of
exiles until her tangled affairs can
be Strengthened out.
With the Countess Szechenyi, and
in the same plight, is her close
friend. the Countess Anton Sigray,
who was Harriet Daily. OF Butte.
Mont. the daughter of the late Mar
Gus DAILY. The holdings of the
Countess Sigray in this country. and
impounded by the alien property
custodian. are estimated 10 excess
Of $1,000 900.
These twJ American women. the
Countess Szechenyi and the Countess
Sigray, did valiant w.rk throughout
the war for the Austrian Red Cross.
They turned their palatial pines
;"trc first into barracks for troops.
then into hospitals AID finally into
orphan asylums for tn" children Of
the slain, as the war passed the Sc
successive stages. They also equip
ped hospital in Budapest for the
American Red Cross, which was es-
tablished there before this country
entered the war.
Still another OF these unhappy exiles
OF Switzerland is the Duchess de
NIzeu. whom America recalls fondly
as Anita Stewart. whose father was
WIIliGm Rhinelandcr Stewart, Of New
York Wealthy in her own right, she
inherited another 800 900 at the death
OF her stepfather. James Henry
Smith. perhaps better known as
SILENT Smith. the multi-milIionaire.
Miss Stewart-that-was married in 1910
Prince Miguel. OF Braganza, eldest
son OF Duke Michael, the pretender to
the throne of Portugal
When war was declared, this couple
were in London. and perhaps they
would have remained there had not
the "alien enemy wave" swept Eng
land so quickly and all titled Teutons
were told plainly they must leave.
From London they went to Berlin,
and Prince MiC vel. who took the title
Of Duke OF Vizeu. entered the war
, as dashing officer of the Austria n
HCssars, he being an Austrian sub
ject