The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1922-01-06
alien PROPERTY
TO Be RETURNED
Government Officials Are Try
ing to Map Out Plan for Un-
raveIing TangIe.
NECESSARY To PEhcE STATUS
Most Of the Seized Holdings Will
Eventually Go Back to the Orig
inal Owners-CIaims of Our
Citizens Must Be Satisfied

Observation-Disclosures leaders
are trying TO map out a policy
for disposing OF the alien property
trusts. Most of the seized hold
ings will eventually 20 back To the
original owners. but Alien Property
Custodian Miller insists that the
claims of American citizens against
Germany and Austria must be
satisfied first The ultimate DISPOSE
ton OF the property rests with con
gresS, except in cases where ii has eX-
pressly authorized settlements. Wind
ing up the alien property affairs i
now the big task before the admins
tration i'm getting back to an actual
peace status.
Virtually all the attention. both
public and in congress, has been
focused on the seized German hold
ings in this country. The chief claims
of American citizens growing out of
the war are against the German gov
eminent. which will probably be
charged up with the financial loss to
Americans through the Lusitan:a
sinking. on which many of the claims
rest. For this reason it is expected
that settlement Of the German prop
erty will he longer delayed.
No Austria Hungary Now.
In addition. the fact that the Aus
tru-Hungarian empire broke up niSr
the VAR has made possible II return
of large portion of the property
seized from Austrian and Hungarian
nationals who after the peace treaty
became citizens OF the new repub-
lies that assumed friendly dipin-
matte relationship with the United
States Mr.. Miller has been proceed
ing quietly with the unraveling IF
numerous claims until the cd Aus
trian property is in such shape that
he can see daylight, and he antici-
pates little trouble from that source
between now and the time congress
acts.
Congress will have TO pass on the
disposition of less than half the
AustrO-Hungarian holdings. or prop
erty valued at S1S,000,000 out OF a
total of $40,O00,000 seized when war
was declared. When congress amend
it provided that the possessions Of
citizens of CZechOslOvakia and PO-
land and subjects Of the new Jugo-
Slav nation and the section of old
Hungary added TO Rumania might
be returned. and settlement of the
claims of these people is proceeding
rapidly Mr. Miller announced that
possessions valued at more than
$9.000000 already had been handed
back to the owners.
OF the remaining approximately
S30.000000 Mr.. Miller estimated that
about Sl2000,000 subsequently, will 90
IL nationals of the three new Euro
pean states or nationals of the new
section Of Rumania. This will leave
approximately SlS,000,000 tied up in
trust until congress authorizes the
President, through the alien property
custodian and the Department OF Jus
tice. TO return il or dispose of it other
wise.
In discussing the Austrian and Hun
garian property seized in this country.
very few pointed out that it included
very few estates III any siZe-.n fact
only one, the Gladys Vanderbilt estate.
valued ut S4,OO0,OO0. which was re
turned after congress provided that
the property Of American women mar
ried 10 alien enemies prior TO April 6,
1917. which was taken over during the
war. might be handed back. Count
SZechenyi. who married Gladys Van
derbilt. is now mentioned as the Hun
garian ambassador To the United
States when the treaty Publications
are exchanged.
One Item OF 500 ooo.
/ OF the remaining Austro-Hungar.an
property i'm the hands of the ~.N-
j eminent the largest lump sum is
that of 100000 taken over with The
/ AuStro- Hungar an bank of New York.
1 Fart of this trust fund VIII prob
! ably be banded back before cong e~s
lasSes on the Austrian property. Mr.
| Miller said ;llat citizens ol Poaud.
/ CZechoSovakla. Jugo Slavia and Ru-
mania hold an interest. the extent of
, which il still undetermn d. in the
| ank. il is expected To materially
! reduce the total when claims are al
! lowed.
Virtually all the rest Of the Aus
TRAN property consists of small e.
tateS some of which amount 10 on Y
! $40 or similar sums awarded work
/ men unde- : ate compensation ac.s.
! I'll SIS 100000 of Austrian and Hun
! saiian property is i'm the same boz [
rs The hulk Of the German trust funds.
over which the President has no
| power of disposition until he obtains
/ further authority.