Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-14
WASHINGTON
DAY BY DAY
(From our Special Correspondent)

(From oar Special Correspondent.
Washington, Dec. 14.-Since the
death Of the late Representative hal
D. Flood, of Virginia, politicians IN
the Old Dominion are recalling a re-
port which has now come to the
Surface with reference to the rea-
sons which actuated Mr.. Flood in &C
cepting the Craftsmanship Of the
Democratic Congressional Committee
in the last campaign and in declining
to become a candidate for Governor
of Virginia at the same time. Ac-
cording> to the friends who stood
closest to Mr.. Flood, it was his desire
to head the campaign committee TOR
the Democrats believing that Il a
Democratic House were chosen he
would be in line for Speaker Of the
lower branch of our national legisla..
ture. Indeed had Mr.. Flood lived
and the House regained for the
Democrats in the campaign for con-
troll a year hence, there is little
doubt that he would have been the
most formidable candidate for pre-
siding officer of the House. ;, Hls
death, however, has changed all the
calculations.
Col. Thomas w. Miller, Alien
Property Custodian, told the mem
bers of the Appropriations Commit
tee of the House yesterday that the
property administered under the
Trading with the Enemy Act consists
of some thirty thousand trusts scat
tered from the Philippine Islands
Hawaii to the coast Of New England
and embraces industrial plants, such
as chemical and woolen mills. MI
nority interests in railroads, steam
ship lines, banks, land and cattle
companies, salmon factories and
gold, silver and other precious mines
of metals and miscellaneous indus
trial plants. In addition to these,
there are thousands of patents and
copyrights seized by the Alien Prop
ertv Custodian.
Col. Miller is unalterably opposed
to the unconditional return OF such
property to it's owners.
"The records Of the State Depart
ment show he said, approximate
" S415,OO0,O0O in American claims
against Germany and German na'
tionals for acts before this country
declared war and for property and
debts in Germany owned by Ameri-
cans. The largest number OF claims
arises as a result of the sinking OF
the Lusitania. Our allies reserve the
right to retain and liquidate the
property belonging to enemy nat
ionals under the Treaty of Versall-
les"
It begins to look new as if the
conference on the limitation OF ar
maments and Far Eastern questions
will be brought to close by the end
of the present month. This, at least,
is the view of those who are known
to be keeping in close touch with
the developments from day to day
and who have consulted the views
and desires of the foreign delegates
present in Washington at this time
While the deliberations of the con-
ference may be carried on after this
period such work will be performed
by committees of experts and others
attached to the various delegations,
but the big men who have been
working upon the various accom-
plishments already announced will be
back in their own countries by the
middle of next January, it is conf
IDENTIFY expected.
Despite the fact that Charles w.
Morse New York financier and pro-
moter is being held under S50,000
bond on a charge of conspiracy and
embezzlement by the United States
government, those who have follow
ed the case of the New York banker
in Washington do not believe that
the government, through the U. S.
Shipping Board, will ever be able to
make out case against Morse. The
people of Alexandria will recall that
Morse started the Virginia Ship
building Corporation, which concern
turned out number Of some of the
very best vessels that were later on
taken under supervision and opera
ed by the U. S. Shipping Board. It
is the contention of Mr.. Morse and
other members of this concern that
the government has never made any
settlement in payment for these ships
and that Uncle Sam is indebted to
the concern in" the sum Of many mill
lions. One thing is certain, Morse
was not afraid to come back to Amer
lea to face his accusers and the
unbiased judgment of Washington is
that the government will never
make out case against him.
pay anything.
Resolution Of Alderman Summers
that two members of the board of al