Evening star., 1920-02-29
POSTWAR PROBLEMS :.
COMPLEX AND VARIED
One Phase, Under the Enforcement of
Trading With Enemy Act, Cited
as Curious Anomaly"

was impossible, and might have been
most dangerous. to make any distinc-
tion hetwesn the various categories OF
Austrian subjects.
Results Pointed Ont.
AS a result. when any Austrian sub
heirs in the Austrian empire. his es-
tate passed automatically into tho
hands of the custodian of alien propl
erty and it has remained. This
| has created a most curious and anoma-
lous state of affairs. These people, in
ninety-nine instances out OF a hundred
were in their lifetime only technically
enemy aliens. They desired the victory
of the United States, and, in many in
| stances. contributed to 1t by subscrib-
ing to tho liberty loans, Red Cross or
ganizations. etc Many Of them-as
| they were not able, being technically
| enemies. to join the American Army
volunteered Ter service in the Serbian
| army on the Saloniki front A Jugo-
slav division, recruited in the United
States, fought bravely alongside their
Serbian brothers-in-race in Macedonia
and contributed to the final victory
But the WAT fs over, the Austrian
empire has been dismembered, the
Poles. the Czechoslovaks. the Jugo-
slavs, the Rumanians and the Italians
have either formed new Independent
states or have Joined already exist
| ing states which were the friends and
allies of the United States They
are now no longer even technically
enemies: n The passports issued to
| them by their new government are
recognized by the American govern
ment and they are allowed to come
and go az freely as the British.
French or Italians.
Trading Act stil Enforced.
But. strange to say. the trading
with-the-enemy act is still enforced
/ . Or I'M a M h. ars
custodian still maintains the seQusg-
| tration OF property left by deceased
| AustrlanS IugoSlavs, CJechoslovaks
Rumanians, Poles or Italians Their
heirs in Europe are subject to the
German-Ausrians or Magyarn. The
heirs of a Jugoslav volunteer from
the United States who fell fighting
the battle Of the allies On thu Sa-
loniki front would be refused deliv-
a man who gave his life for the
cause of the allies was still techni-
cally an enemy.
There are other cases pf hardship
OF Jugoslav workmen who came over
to work in the United States ana sent
money home to keep their families
II such a man is accidentally killed
the alien property custodian seixes
the insurance money due to him in
compensation and refuses to transmit
it to members OF his family, who are
left to starve in Jugoslavia.
1t is most urgent that this state Of
| affairs be remedied without delay.
IBIS dat qui Gto dat" he gives twics
who gives quickly. is proverb a.
much in honor today a. in the times
of the Romans. 1t is true that the
food problem is no longer a crucial
one in Jugoslavia, but on account Of
transport difficulties the cost Of living
| Is enormously high, and every dollar
and cent due to the friendly enemie1'
| in the former Austrian empire is urx-
emily required to aid the much tried
population.
"CrOwning Anomaly Cited.
The crowning anomaly il to be seen
| in the bill at present before Congress-
to vote $50.0o0.000 for the, relief of
the German -Austrians, Americas en-
emies to the last. while the alien
property custodian ties up the prop
erty of the friends Of the United
States in the new states and king
ldoms. =
1t is not quite certain what the
remedy will be. whether II is within
| the power of the law offcefs of the
United States government to ESts lid
OF this anomalous state Of things
simply by q more liberal fntGFpreta-
ton of the trading-wfth- the -ensfny
act or whether q law modifyfnk the
| existing act will be necessary. But
| in any case, in justice. to a deserving
people. a remedy should bo found
without delay. 49,