Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-09-08


be concerned over the possibility
of the United States returning
the alien 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
is once more in session the question
as to how the alien property is tc 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, alien property custodian, intro
duced a bill which provides for this
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. OF
the $4,000 active trusts now admins
tered by the alien property custodian
about SO per cent are of the value OF
$4,000 and under.
Much opposition to the admintstra-
tons plan for dealing with the alien
property in the custody of the govern
ment and with the claims which Amerl-
cans have against Germany has devel-
oped both in congress and out OF the
legislative body. The protests that
are coming in are based on the as
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 be
settled.
More Than a Billion involved.
The total amount of money involved
in the controversy which is looming
up is more than $1,0O0,000,000. The
alien property custodian holds prop
erty which this government took from
German nationals not resident in the
United States aggregating a little over
$40O,000,000 The total amount Of the
American claims against Germany is
slightly in excess of S415, 100000, and
then there is this governments bill
against Germany on account of the
troops that have been stationed on the
Rhine since the armistice was signed,
which now amounts to about $260,000,-
600.
The government has divorced the
disposition Of the enemy property held
by the alien 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
lost their lives when the Lusitania
was sunk are particularly active in
the campaign that has been started in
favor of this governments retaining
in its possession the property which it
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 UNI
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
the consent of the congress, but it
seems likely that congress will not
make a great TODD over the action of
the secretary of state in ignoring the
senate reservation. The thing that
congress is interested in, and the
phase of the situation that evidently
interests a large section of the public,
is whether the government will let
loose of the German money it holds
before the American claims are sat
listed.
Think Germany Won't Object.
The executive department has rea-
son to believe, SO it is said authorita-
lively, that the German government
Will nOL OUJCCI " lAAC .CA4llNh AolOlO5
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, lin 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 it is as
serted, willing that their property
shall remain in this country and in
the hands of the alien custodian so
long as it is being managed to good
advantage. There is on deposit in the
treasury more than q 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 deposit this money in banks,
the deposits to be insured by Liberty
bonds as collateral. The administra-
ton believes that this money might
we'll be used temporarily to better the
economic relations between this gov
eminent and Europe.
Not a Spark of Sentiment.