The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-06-28
Germany Won't
Seize Property
Returned by i. S.
By DAVID LAWRENCE
GCopyrisht by The lntelltSencer)

Washington, June @f.--Germany has
ENcn the United States goEernment
official assurances that no confiscatory
taxes will be levied upon the properly
returned 10 German citizens oy the amen
property custodian here.
The German Sovernncnc realizes tnat
u existing statutes were literally inter-
preted IL might mean that The property
90 Germans seized here during the war
would find its way into the HANDS OF
the Berlin government and eventually
would be part payment 70 the allies on
tho war indemnity. This fact more
than anything else has deferred Amer
lean officials from recommending the
return OF the oerma2 property 10 their
owners II being argued that while the
American government may have scnti'
mental objections TO contiScatinS Pt'-
vats property the same property would
IA confiscated anyhow by the German
authorities.
aoverrmsnt Acts.
Publication IN the United States OF
tn.s a-sum ent led the German COVER"
u,ert 20 take Up the question IN an CT
rc~r 20 persuade the United states GOV
eminent that Germany would not con-
ciscats the property. The department
cs finance in Berlin has examined the
laws and issued ruling TO the effect
that the taxes may be paid IN the pres
crt yalu" Of German marks. This MAKES
all the difference in the world f9r the
tyn German tax laws were adopted IN
Jr,v. loia. and December. lola. respect
lvclv. AMI IN tho former case the value
~ the mark was thirteen to dollar and
- the latter fo-ty-0ine 20 dollar
!: .aSes we're 70 be pad on that Nalu-
stfAr II would mean virtual contIsca-
HON Bur the German government off
eiallr advises the United states that Il
has 10 intention OF applying the value
O. the mark as OF July or December
Iol? but only as OF the date on which
The property is returned. According 20
the statisctcians OF the German finance
department the tax would in no case 60
he>cad 10 per cent and n many cases
vhere the property returned - OF rela-
lively small size the tax would range
from, : 10 I per cent These taxes, It ls
admitted. are high hrt they DO not mean
tie taking Of abe whole thing as was
supposed would Re the case II the aN
laws we're interpreted as the American
government thought
Auays Fears
The German government - natural;
Interested IN seeing ina property 81 10
nationals restored and VAS quick u
point out that fears OF cnntlsCation By
the Barlin authorities need not De enter
.aired. The United States government
had. Of course. no power 70 intervene
a. between German citizens ard the
German government though the 600"
offices Of the department OF stat" we're
frequently suggested as Il means or pre-
venting German conftscation. Instead
,ha German government has voluntarily
lr.c-c-ctcd its laws OF 1914 and made
{, clear that II will not penat:ze rs ma
,icnals simply because tho difference
between exchange rates to-day ann
three years ago Ia so large. This &C
ton viii nahe Il difficult for congress
10 Withhold approval ct President Hard
.rS's plan on that ground though II IS
anticipated a lively fight will casue IN
both the senate and tHa house on tn"
question 0! paying American cltiZcnS
the claims Nhey ho'd against GcrmanH
FOR acts committed during the war. tn"
adjustment OF these claims which VIII
be taken Up BY / uiV"d commission
may be sought first before all the Ger
man property $ returned. The present
man contempla'eS returning indtvidua.
n-opsrties up 10 sln.noG IN value >rd
uould keep in trust approH'Tat"lr
1850. roo nnn 20 $3.50 oon. 0nn other prop
critics O. German owncrshtp pending
further developments IN American