Evening star., 1921-05-18
KNOX RESOLUTION
CHANGES LIKELY
President Wants Measure.
But Finds Alterations in
Text Necessary.
ny DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Harding wants the Knox
resolution. declaring a state of peace
between The United States and Ger
many. passed by the Hou*a but he
Las found it necessary to approve GER
tain changes in it from the form in
which it was passed by the Senate.
These changes are fundamental and
VIII come aS Il surprise 70 those Ger
mans residing in America who had be-
lieVed the Knox resolution would au-
tomItically end the powers Of the alien
property custodian. and that the Amer
lean government hereafter would sim
ply hold the German property without
exercising any of the broad powers of
sale or supervision which We're in
trusted TO it by the trading-with-the-
tEenfy act
The language of the Knox resolution
as passed by the Senate simply says
that all enemy property now in the
possession of the American government
shall be retained" But it develops
that the alien property custodian. Col.
Thomas w. Miller. advised President
Harding and Attorney General Daush-
erty that certain German interests
were of the impression that soon as
the Knox resolution X pa S>ed the
American government would be pro-
Eibited from selling any German prop
eIty or otherwise administering it.
Can Sell mt Any Time.
The fact is. tn" trading with the
enemy act permits the alien property
custodian to sell at any time any Ger
man property held by our govern
ment Sometimes when the property
is deteriorating or some other potent
reason arises making a sale neces-
SarE the alien property custodian dis
poses of the roperty and holds the
proceeds in trust. All this money and
unsold property are held by the alien
property custodian until Congress
specifically provides for its return to
Germany Congress has not tackled
the subject yet. for the good reason
that German property held by the
American government is Il sort of club
which is held by Washington over
Germany in the event that claims such
as that growing out of the sinking of
the Lustana are not satisfied. This
will be held in allegiance. therefore.
until the United States either nego-
tiateS new treaty with Germany or
ratities the Versailles treaty with
reservations.
Other Amendments Needed.
There are other amendments of the
Knox resolution which are deemed
necessary in order to safeguard
American rights. The alien property
custodian has been asked TO appear
before the House committee on for
eign affairs. The principal change is
the addition of a phrase which will
provide that enemy property shall
be retained anu administered AS now
provided by law and sale and disposi-
ton made" until such time as the
German government has by treaty
with the United States made suitable
provision for the satisfaction of
American claims. Thus the amend
.lh tn11 ;r>
the present trading with the enemy
act, SO far as it affects German prom
erty held by the alien property Gus
todian.
Another suggested change is that
the power of the alien property Gus
todian shall be continued not merely /
until the time a treaty with GERMANY
is ratified. but Until such time as !
Congress shall have provided for such !
further sale and disposition pursuant |
q said treaty.
Knox Favorable to Changes.
1t is understood that Senator Knox |
is favorable to the amendments and /
probably would have made them whe,,
the measure was in the Senate ex-
cept that the legal experts did not
get them ready in time. There is no
friction about it--no clash between
President Harding and members of
the language of the resolution AS so !.
often happens when bill passes
one house and is up for final passage
in the other house. Usually impor-
tant bills are amended in the Senate
but the Knox resolution was nut
the upper house first. and
it was deemed desirable to rush II
without getting il tangled
up in controversies.
Nevertheless there is one point
which has occasioned considera ble
comment and which has produced hon
Est differences of opinion among the
republicans themselves. 1t is the
phrase whereby the original declara-
ton of war is to be repealed. 4 few
senators and large num-
ber of House republicans seem to
think there is no necessity for the
repeal clause. because it may impIv
an apology or expression of regret,
and that "A simple declaration of n
state of peace is sufficient
Text Passed by senate.
Here is the text Of the paragraph As
it passed the Senate:
"Resolved. by the Senate and House
Of Representatives. that the Joint res
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