New-York tribune., 1921-02-16
Bill Gives Back
Alien Property
Seized I'm w ar
Senator King Contends For
eign Holdings Were Not
Contiscated, but Merely
Sequestered by the u. s.
Claims Board Suggested
individuals Not RESPONSE
BILE for Acts of German
Government, He Declares
From The Tribune's Washington Burea.

From The Tribune'S Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-Senator
King, OF Utah, Democrat, introduced
in the Senate to-day bill to return
to German and Austrian nationals the
property which was seized under the
trading with the enemy act. Senator
King gave out statement saying he
supported the proposition that the alien
property seized by the Alien Property
Custodian should be returned. He
added that it was apparent the Ver-
saille Treaty in it's present form would
not be ratified, but whether ratified or
not the property seized from German
and Austrian nationals should be re-
stored to them.
"The Versailles Treaty." said Sem
ator King, Imposed the obligation
upon the German government to COM
pensate its nationals for the property
which had been seized under the act
of Congress. l believe that there was
no intention, when Congress passed
the trading with the enemy act to
property. 1t was not a confscatory
act. l believe it was the thought Of
Congress that the property should be
held or seQuestered until the termina-
ton Of the war and that ultimately it
would be returned to those from whom
had been taken.
Power Vested in Congress
"The entire matter of disposing Of
the seized property rests with Con-
gress. l am in favor of enacting an
appropriate law under which transfer
of the sequestered property may be
effectuated.
at is clear that commission possess
sing judicial powers must be created
and authorized to pass upon the claims
which would be filed for the return of
the property now held by the Alien
Property Custodian. Undoubtedly
there would be such conflicting claims
that the United States would be COM
PEELED for its own protection to dis
pose of claims before the return Of the
property to those who may be adjudged
to be legally entitled thereto.
"The United States for many years
has welcomed aliens to our shores and
has invited peoples of other lands 70
make investments in our country. Bill
lions of dollars of foreign capital has
Railroads have been built, smelters
erected and factories and plants con-
structed, with capital supplied by per-
sons who did not live under our flag
and were not citizens of our country.
We welcomed German capital to Amer
ica, and it was employed in the de-
velopment of our industries and con-
tributed to our national prosperity.
"At the time Of the outbreak of hos
tilites between the United States and
Germany there were hundreds of mil
lions of dollars of German capital in
vested in the United States. Under
the trading with the enemy act this
property was seized. This property
residing in Germany. Some Of this
property has been sold and the pro-
ceeds used for the purchase of Liberty
bonds, but either the property or the
proceeds derived from its sale is in
the hands of the Alien Property Gus
todian. 1t has not been confscated or
destroyed. 1t has been preserved dur
ing the war.
Holds Individuals Immune
ave are now confronted with the
question as to whether we shall re-
tain the property or return it to its
owners. 1t is stated by some that
Americans have been wronged by Ger
many, that American ships have been
sunk upon the high seas and that
Americans have lost their lives from
wanton submarine attacks. All this is
true, and Germany should be made to
pay for these injuries and wrongs.
But wrongs of the German government
do not, in my opinion, warrant the
confiscation of the private property of
German nationals. 1t would be unjust
and impolitic' and would contravene
those higher conceptions of interna-
tional morality and international duty
which should obtain among nations in
this enlightened age.
"The government Of the United
States from the beginning has declared
confiscation and sequestration to be i'm
polite and unwise and has sought to
obtain the acceptance of that view OF
all civilized nations"
gGS MI-ns-