Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1921-02-18
Great Tide OF lawsuits Pour Into
Court or Claims.

Millions of dollars-and promises of bill
lions-are represented in the great tide of
lawsuits which is beginning to pour into
the United States Court Of Claims as one
Of the results Of the war. The court was
expressly created to determine legal con-
troversies between private citizens and the
government.
The Attorney General says the amount
Of war claims is enormous, and that indi-
cations are the influx of cases has only
begun. Actions upon claims involving ap-
proximately $l24.00O.000 have already
been filed. The ultimate aggregate of
claims, it is estimated. will reach between
two and three billion dollars. The per-
sonnet Of the Department Of Justice hav-
ing charge Of the defense of these actions
has been doubled to enable 1t to cope with
the food Of new litigation.
These war claims are brought into the
court by plaintiffs having claims against
all departments Of the government The
War Department has claims involving ap-
proximately SIS. 100000. The bureau
Of internal revenue now has pending
claims for refunds and rebates aggregat-
ing $650,000,000. The Shipping Board
has cancellations Of contracts involving
over $850.000.000. Claims for patent
infringement are estimated by the Attor-
ney General at $10O,0O0,O0O. The rail-
road administration has differences with
the railroads amounting to approximately
$75O,OOO,O0O.
There are also claims proportionately
large in amount arising from the Housing
Corporation, the war risk bureau and the
food and fuel administrations, and it is
known that there is a large amount of
other claims of miscellaneous character
which have not yet been filed.
In preparation for the disposition of this
new business. the Court Of Claims has SO
cleaned its dockets that not only pending
suits, but actions based upon these war
claims are receiving immediate attention.
and all cases are disposed Of as rapidly as
they are presented. One Of the first and
most important cases. affecting claims es-
timated at 100000. was begun May
IS, 1920. Judgment was rendered June
%, 1920. and an appeal was argued in
the United States Supreme Court January z.
THE volume Of important adjudications
in the Court of Claims during the past
fiscal year" says the Attorney General, IF
equaled, has certainly never been exceed
ed. Since the original act Of February
"a, 1855, providing forum in which citi-
zens of the United States might have their
claims against the government adjudi-
Gated. the duties Of the Court of Claims
have steadily increased under legislation
enacted from time to time enlargng its
scope, until today it is recognized that its
Importance is not exceeded by any other
tribunal.
Every conceivable issue between the
citizens and their sovereign, founded upon
contract, express or implied, is presented
to that court, and in addition. under the
so-called Dent act of March 2. 1919 agree
ments entered into during the war of an
informal nature may be brought to the
Court of Claims for award of fair and just
compensation. The small percentage OF
the decisions of the Court of Claims re-
versed by the Supreme Court of the United
States testifies to the charactes Of the de-
cisions rendered"
Among the claims already filed in the
court are $60.000.OOO for shipping, $780,
100000 for railroad requisition. $26. 000.-
900 for patent infringement, $2.200.000
for aircraft engines and guns, $2,000.00O
for transportation Of troops and supplies
and $2.500.000 in suits commenced by
the packing companies.