Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-07-04
PRESIDENT ORDERS
RETURN Of GERMAN
CHEMICAL PATENTS

WASHINGTON, July 2.-lnStruc-
tons were issued by President
Harding that demand be made on
the Chemical Foundation, Inc, for
immediate return to the government
OF all patents, trademarks, copy
rights, contracts and other property
transferred to it by alien property
custodians of the Wilson admins
tration.
The instructions contained in a
letter written by Mr.. Harding to
Thomas w. Miller, alien property
custodian. which was made public
at the White House, were wholly
unexpected, although the Chemical
Foundation numerous times has
been under fire Of Republican mem
bers of congress.
In addition to the Instructions
that a demand be made for return of
the assignments made by the alien
property custodian's office under
the previous administration, the
president ordered Mr.. Miller to take
any action advised or approved by
the attorney general to respect fully
the rights or interests of the United
States government in the properties.
Supplementary to the presidents
letter a statement was made by At
torney General Daugherty that &C
ton taken by Mr.. Harding was justi-
fled by the records of the depart
ment of justice, which he said had
for many months been conducting
an investigation Gin the face Of much
interference" The attorney general
added that the instructions as to re-
turn 20 the government OF property
taken over by the foundation would
be carried out with all dispatch"
Congressional Charges
Notable amor 6 the attacks on the
Chemical Foundation in congress
was that made by Representative
F'rear. Republican, Wisconsin, who
charged that "the dye monopoly
headed by the Chemical Foundation
company" had sought to influence
three members of President Har-
ding'S cabinet i'll an effort to perpet-
uate cts present exclusive power
in this country through retention OF
the dye embargo.
Mr.. Frear at that time further
charged that Francis P. Garvin
and Joseph Choate, Jr., while en-
ployed by the government in the
alien property custodian's office, con-
ceivod the idea OF selling alien pat
ents then on file in the patent office
and taking them over to themselves
and their associates in a private ca
pacity under the name of the Chem
ical Foundation company" at pri-
vate. SALE" for $250,c00, or about 2
per cent of their actual value"
The F'rear charges were denied by
Mr.. Garvin and his assistants.
Tho president in his letter to Mr..
Miller says his attention has been
called to the fact that the Chemical
Foundation has brought suit against
the United States for an accounting
alleged to be due the said Chemical
Foundation on royalties due it for
the use Of certain patents originally
seized under the authority of the
alien property custodian an;
sold to the Chemical Foundation dur
ing the previous administration.
cit appears that the sale was
made at SO nearly q nominal sum
that there is reason to believe that
this government has not faithfully
observed the trust which was i'm
piled in the seizure of this property
the letter said, adding that a fun |
investigation becomes a public !
duty
Instructed to Proceed
The alien property custodian's Of
flee was instructed to proceed forth
with as follows:
81. Make written demand upon
the Chemical Foundation, Inc, :. :.
to Immediately return to the
alien property custodian all patents,
trademarks, copyrights. contracts,
applications or other properties or
rights transferred to it by the alien
property custodian as aforesaid, and
to account to it for any and all rents.
profits, license fees or other proceeds
thereof realized by said Chemical
Foundation, Inc, from said proper
ty or rights or any of them from the
date of transfer thereof, to the
Chemical Foundation, Inc, to the
date of restoration.
"2. Take any other action which
may be advised or approved by the
attorney general by suit or other
wise to fully and in every way re-
spect the rights or interests Of the
United States and any other person
or corporation interested therein, in
and to the properties and rights
aforesaid and any proceeds, income
or profit therefrom in the hands of
the Chemical Foundation. In, or it's
officers, agents or employees ="