The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-04-10
MILLER REPORT
REVEALS ALIEN
PROPERTY HELD
Congress Must PEar,
Way to Settle Amer
icdra Claims.

Washington, April 10.-An ac-
counting Of the $3.50, ,o00, 900 worth
of enemy property held by the gov
ernment was given the senate to-
day in a report, the first compiled
since February. 1918, filed by Alien
Property Custodian Thomas w. Mil
Ter, in response to a resolution by
Senator King. Democrat, of Utah.
The final disposition of this
property" Mr.. Miller said, will
undoubtedly have q direct bearing
on the economic relations between
this country and Europe, with par
ticular reference to the late enemy
powers. The sequestered property
will also have a bearing on the
question of the settlement of Amer
ican claims against Germany"
Discussing the $415, ,0o0, 900 of
| American claims against Germany
Mr.. Miller recalled the terms of the
knox-Porter peace resolution indi-
eating that no disposition should
be made Of enemy property held by
the United States until the Ger
man government had provided for
| the satisfaction OF all American
claims. He asserted that congress
must evolve some plan whereby
American claims against Germany
many may be adjudicated by some
proper tribunal created by law.
Claims Against Germany.
There are several classes OF
| claims against Germany" Mr.. Mil
ler said, ''as for instance, those of
Americans whose cash was seized
by the German custodian and who
are now being offered the return
! of their money at the deprecated
value of the mark which today is
| valued at one-third of a cent for
! each mark or a reduction OF 720 per
cent from the pre-war value. This
! proposition amounts to practical
confiscation on the part of the
also claims on file with the state
| German government There are
department for the loss of property
| and life at sea, growing out of sub
marine sfnkings previous to April
6, 1917.
IF the German property were
returned today without any condi-
tions, the tax laws in force in Ger
many would require German ma
tionals or other people under the
jurisdiction of the German gov
ernment, whose property was re-
turned to them, to give up in taxes
to the German government a
major portion of the portions re-
tut ned. One of the taxes assessed
is known as the Empire Need tax,
the revenues of which are utilized
by the German government for its
own nationals, and a second tax
known as the indemnity tax, the
proceeds of which are paid into
reparations going to our late allies.
Report Is Long.
at has been suggested that the
amount of money which the German
government would realize from
such taxation might form the basis
of fund to be left in this country.
the same to be applied for the salts
faction of claims of American citi-
LCAo dSdiuoI NTCl LldHgs "uSA luG6G
claims are adjudicated.
MIR. Miller's report consisted of
thousands of typewriter pages
giving the details of about 80 900
active trusts representing property
in every state and territory in the
United States and the Philippine
Islands and Hawaii, consisting of
industrial plants, steamship lines.
banks, land and cattle companies,
salmon factories, gold and silver
mines and thousands of parcels OF
real estate and securities.
Answering charges by Senator
King that property had been seized
since peace was arranged with Ger
many last July, the report declared
that the last property seized was
that belonging to Grover Cleveland
BergdolI, which was seized on May
81, 1921.
Responding to inquiry for details
of salaries and fees in connection
with the enemy property. the re-
port showed the following list:
Attorneys fees paid prior to
March 4, 1921, S2,13S,546.
Attorneys fees, paid since March
4, 1921, $116,469.
Salaries of officers and directors
of corporations previous TO March
4, 1921, $1,574,017.
Salaries since March 4. 1921.
s132,435.
Paid for accounting and apprais-
ing, previous to March 4, 1921,
81. .0S4, ,059.
Paid for the same since March 4,
1921. s2,718.
Paid for advertising and printing
previous to March 4. 1921, $685.
067.
One accounting bill alone of S173,-
757, the report declared, was paid tc
an accounting firm out OF the con-
gressional appropriation, for a re.
port covering various operations o.
the custodian's office To August
1918, but which was not completed
until April L, 1921. and was then o
no practical value. The report list
ed all money spent on advertising
and the newspapers SO favored
| M00NSHNRR Is KILLED.
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