The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-09-07

KUDu many ptrspns ste" y"
be concerned over the possibility
Of the United States returning
the allen property In Its custody with
out waiting for Germany to settle the
bill which the United States has
against her on account Of the war.
Now that the house Of representatives
10 once more In session the question
as to how the alien property In to be
returned will probably receive early
consideration.
Just before the house took a recess
Representative winslow Of Massachu-
sets, chairman OF the house commit
tee on Interstate and foreign COM
merce, at the request Of Thomas w.
Miller, allen property custodian, intro
duced a bill which provides for the
return to the former owners OF every
trust not exceeding In value In any
case the sum Of $4,000. Should this
bill pass all the smaller owners OF
alien property would receive their
property back In full Immediately. Or
the $1,000 active trusts now admins
tered by the allen property custodian
about 90 per cent are Of the value OF
$4,000 and under.
Much opposition to the administra-
tons plan for dealing with the allen
property In the custody Of the govern
ment and with the claims which Amerf-
cans have against Germany has devei-
oped both In congress and out Of the
legislative body. The protests that
are coming In are based on the a.
sumption that this government may
return the property which It took from
Germans during the war before It OBJ
tains any assurance that the claims
Of Americans against Germany will b
settled.
More Than Q Billion Involved.
The total amount Of money involved
in the controversy which Is looming
up Is more than $1,OOO.OOO.OOO. The
alien property custodian holds prop
erty which this government took from
German nationals not resident In the
United States aggregating little over
$500 100000. The total amount Of the
American claims against Germany 10
slightly in excess Of $415.OOO,OOO. and
then there Is this governments bill
against Germany on account Of the
troops that have been stationed on the
Rhine since the armlstice was signed.
which now amounts to about $260. 0OO.-
900.
The government has divorced the
disposition Of the enemy property held
by the allen property custodian and
the settlement Of claims Of American
citizens against Germany. The issue
that has been raised Is whether this
separation should have been made.
Relatives and friends Of persons who
was sunk are particularly active In
the campaign that has been started In
favor of this governments retaining
In Its possession the property which 1t
took from German nationals until the
Lusitania claims are settled. at least.
The mixed commission on which the
United States and the German govern
ment have just agreed-a commission
composed of one American and one
German and with an American as um-
pire-is not to have anything at all
to do with the disposition Of the
enemy property held by this govern
ment. There Is what may be called a
side quarrel going on over the ques-
ton as TO whether the executive de-
partment Haunted the senate by Great
ing this commission without asking
the consent Of the congress. but II
seems likely that congress will not
make great TODD over the action of
senate reservation. The thing that
congress Is interested In, and the
phase of the situation that evidently
interests large section of the public,
Is whether the government will let
loose of the German money 1t holds
isfied.
Think Germany Won't object.
The executive department has rea.
son TO believe, so II is said authorize.
lively. that the German government
will not object to the United States
holding most Of the alien property I'm,
til suitable provision has been made
for the satisfaction of the claims
against Germany. The State depart
ment, in cooperation with the alien
property custodian, Is now working
on some such plan. Some of the large
business interests in Germany whose
property is held here are, so II Is as
serted, willing that their property
shall remain In this country and In
the hands of the alien custodian so
long as II Is being managed to good
advantage. There is ON deposit In the
treasury more than a million dollars
in cash which this government took
from German nationals. Under the
bill which Representative Winslow has
introduced the alien property custo
dian may denOslt this money In hanks