Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-11
MILLER DEFENDED
FROM IMPLICATION
OF DEREL|CT|ON
Senators Explain Why He Can
not Comply With Request
for information.
WOULD BE ENORMOUS TASK
Special Dispatch From Every Evening.
Washington Correspondent.

WOOIO Oc CVOnmOUS IHSN
Special Dispatch From Every Evenings
Washington Correspondent.
Washington. March 1l.-Colonel
Thomas w. Miller. alien property Gus
tedian. having been attacked on the
moor OF the Senate by Senator King OF
Utah. was vigorously defended by
Senator Wadsworth OF New York. who
was backed up In his position by
Senator Spcnser OF Missouri. and Sem
tor Norris of Nebraska.
Senator King offered resolution
recting that on January 5. 1922. res
olution had been adopted by the Sem
alto requiring the alien property Gus
tcdian 10 report 20 the Senate all at
torncys who have been appointed or
employed by the alien property Gus
todian. together with certain other in
formation. and indicating failure to
DO the-o things. Senator Kings reso-
luton directed that n report be made
forthwith.
senator Wadsworth explained what
a task and how difficult Il would be
20 make the report asked for. He said
the implication In Senator Kings res
olution was that the alien property
custodian had been negligent I'm falling
20 comply with the request OF the
Senate for this information. II think >"
the Senator said, when the Senate
realizes what the resolution OF the
Senator from Utah required, II will
understand why the request has not
been complied with up TO this time"
when resolution goes up to the
allen property custodian which asks
him for a statement and description Of
all property cold by the alien property
custodian. with the names OF the cor
porations or persons TO whom sold.
and tho amount received therefor, we
had better understand what We are
asking for. There are properties sold
here for rs small sum as 81: others
for si.25. for 50. for s&-tiny. little,
trifiing sums. Every one Of them has
20 be hunted up. the name Of the per-
son 10 whom sold. and the amount
There are 5000 attorneys under one
category. I am told by the alien prop
erty custodian: that Is. the attorneys
who have represented claimants 70
whom property has been returned.
Ten different branches 81 work have
90 be investigated in order to set, all
this information together. Ten groups
on employees at one time or another
have TO cooperate In getting II all
together.
IL am quite certain that neither the
Senator from Utah nor the Senate
itself understood that 81 was ,mpo.-
irg such a terrific task upon the alien
property custodian.
Il am not moving TO reec,nd, II -
were possible In a parliamentary sense
20 DO 40, the original resolution, but
l do protest against the adoption OF
this resolution, which implies that the
Allen property custodian has been
negligent. lie has not been negligent.
We have ourdenend him with an
amount Of work which his Office is
utterly unified to undertake. especial
ly ae that Office has been cut down
10 a considerable degree. due TO the
reduction In appropriations. from the
personnel as IL existed prior 10 the
advent into Office Of the present Gus
todian. Instead OF l75 clerks, which
was the number in the Office a year
ago. there are today 100. Instead o.
an appropriation Of sass 900. II has TO-
day an appropriation OF s375, 200. II
the Congress Is going 10 impose'thess
burdens on these officers In compilinI
IA report which will weigh pounds and
pounds-it will be difficult for a mar
10 carry IL in here-we shall have e
he little patient with them and dis
play some confidence IN their loyalty
TO the Government and some under.
standing Of the difficulty of the tasl
thar we have imposed upon THEM"
Senators Spencer and Norris backe
senator Wadsworth in his contention
that the resolution was untimely an
unreasonable in view Of the vas
amount OF work a report will requir
and the time Il Will take 10 max
such report.
in view Of the magnitude OF tn
holdings Of the alien property Gus
tedian, the innumerable transaction
that have been made by him in behal
90 the United States government an
the thousands affected by the opera
ton OF his Office. observant people ad
vised by the facts revealed in III
consideration of the resolution cor
ceded that Colonel Miller was Wind
Gated in this debate. and that III
Senate was SO impressed.
Colonel Miller expresses eratifics
ton over the able and vigorous DE-
Tense he was given. lie further cor
tents himself with the fact that 1
due time his official report will spea
for itself. stand on its own merits. an
he ample justification and defense fc
the alien property custodian and III
conduct OF his office.