Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-08-17
CARAVAN DEMANDS
HARDING CLEAR Him
Writes to President That He
Has Been Grossly Mis-
led by Daugherty.

New York.-F1atly refusing to return
TO the United States government a
single chemical patent right owned by
the Chemical Foundation, Inc. Of
which he is president. Francis T. Gar
van, in a spirited and energetic letter
TO President Harding asserted that
the President. grossly misled by the
attorney-general' is, for the first time
in American history, attempting To
abrogate a solemn Executive order Of
a predecessor, and IS acting, moreover,
on information furnished by German
agents and interpreted by lawyers
whose sole knowledge Of the war and
Its lessons is derived from association
with German clients"
Absolute legality in the sale Of 400
and odd former German patents TO the
Foundation, and complete publicity in
1 the organization and operation of this
/ Quasi-public institution. together with
/ the highest Of ethical motives. are
I earnestly maintained by Mr. Caravan in
4 his communication, and he asserts with
emphasis that no person connected
with the Foundation has ever made a
dollar out of II, or ever could do SO
under Its charter and bylaws, himself
/ least of all he f0rtites that statement
with figures which show that the CAPT
tai Of the institution consisted of 1928
| 300, all Of which has been spent in the
4 purchase of the patents and in educat-
Ing the people through schools and
colleges and in the encouragement of
chemical societies. and says that the
1 Foundation income from licenses bare
/ ~ meets the modest running expenses.
All of these financial details have
long heen available, Mr.. Caravan re-
minds President Harding. and demands
that the President ascertain the truth
and tell the people whether the Foun-
dalton and its head have deserved the
abuse they have received
Gave All and Got Abuse"
ut has given its ALL" Mr.. Caravan
writes You can take away nothing
but the opportunity of service. 1t was
all we got from the government. II
Is all we have.
Mr.. President, you have had the
temerity to impugn the honor Of the
gentlemen who boast part in the
great work of building mp or presery-
ing the possibility of progress in or
ganic chemistry for America. You have
again been misinforned as TO the
nature of the trust we bore. That trust
was not for the German Kartel, the
owner OF practically all the important
patents, who had received them under
the unthlnking graciousness of laws
they had induced That trust was for
the American people, their industrial
Independence and for the safety and
health Of their children and their chill
dren's children"
At the out set Of his letter Mr.. Caravan
states that he has forwarded TO the
Alien Property Custodian the Chemical
Foundations formal answer to his
demand. an answer "as an American
corporation ready at all times to de
fend Its rights IN the courts hut that
the public in whose interests the Foun-
dation was organized. is entitled TO he
fully informed as TO the circumstances
under which the demand was made and
the reason why ii is unqualihedly re-
fused. The demand itself, Mr.. Caravan
asserts. together with the letter written
by the President and the statement
made by Attorney General Daugherty.
demonstrate that you. Mr.. President
have been grossly misled by the attor-
ney- general, both MS to the law and the
facts Of the case"
Eliminating Enemy Interest"
Thereupon Mr.. Caravan contends az
that the attorney general has listened
exclusively to German agents. which Is
no investigation; (2), that the United
States government has no interest ii
the suit brought by the Foundation Il
determine the ownership Of funds helt
by the treasury t3). that when Presi
dent Wilson authorized the sale Of thu
German patents. neither the President
secretary Of state nor alien propert,
custodian was. under the law. in TIN
remotest sense trustee for the Ger
man enemies; az. that specific powe
to sell the patents was granted by Con
gress after full committee hearings 81
November 4 1918 and on December 3
1918, President Wilson, vested Will
power to supervise all sales, authorized
Acting Secretary Of State Frank I.
Polk to approve the sale Of the German
chemical and other patents; 60, tina
on February 90. 1919. Polk ordered thu
sale in the public interest. noting tina
public sale was not in the best in
terests Of the public because 1t woult
offer opportunity for the patents to ge
into the hands Of spectators ant
monopolists, and that the Chemica
Foundation Obligated TO grant non
exclusive licenses. was the best mean
for eliminating alien interests hostil
to American industries and Of the nd
vancement of chemical and allied in
dustries IN the United States (6)
that President Wilson. returning iron
abroad. confirmed Folks order on Feb
ruary 10, 1920, with this comment
my reasons for the foregoing determi
nation and order are stated in the sal
orders Of Frank l.. Polk and i
addition thereto the public intereS
will he best served by the elimination
OF any enemy interest adverse t
American citizens arising by reason 0
said chooses in action. or rights, inter
ests and benefits under said agree
ments :"
"rhis sale" Mr.. Caravan continues
stUoc ,,aada in fha full liyhf NJ a.