Middletown transcript., 1922-08-19
u. 5. SIGNS PACT
WITH GERMANY
Commission to Adjudicate Amer.
ican War Claims
JUSTICE DAY AS UMPIRE
scope OF Tribunal-German Govern.
ment Shows Confidence
In American
Justice.

Washington. - Announcement that
an agreement between the United
States and Germany providing for the
determination of the amount of claims
against Germany was signed in Berlin
was made by the State Department.
The agreement provides for a claims
commission to be composed of two
commissioners and an umpire
Associate Justice Day, of the United
states Supreme Court, it was an
nounceG, has been selected by Presi.
dent Harding as umpire He will have
authority to decide finally upon ques.
tions on which the two commissions
ers-one to be selected by each Gov.
ernment-may disagree.
The selection of Justice Day, it was
stated, was made after the German
Government expressed desire to
have an American citizen appointed as
umpire. The name of the American
commissioner, 1t was said, will be an
nounced later.
Under the agreement the commits.
sioners will meet in Washington with.
in two months from the date of it's
signature, and will pass upon (1)
claims arising from seizure of, or
| damage to, American property within
the former German Empire; (2)
claims arising as consequence of the
war and occurring since July 81, 1914,
and (3) debts owed as between the
nationals of the two countries.
The announcement from the State
Department follows:
An agreement between the United
States and Germany providing for
the determination of the amount Of
claims against Germany was signed
in Berlin. This agreement provides
for claims commission composed of
two commissioners and an umpire.
One commissioner is to be named by
each Government and the two Govern
ments are to agree upon an umpire.
The umpire is to decide finally upon
any questions as to which the commits.
sioners may disagree.
simultaneously with the signing of
ehC lCOiicil, lHc beIuldH IONcIu-
ment expressed it's desire to have an
American citizen appointed as the
umpire and requested the President
of the United States to make the
designation accordingly. Pursuant
to this request, the President has
named as umpire William R. Day, AS.
sociate Justice of the United States
Supreme Court. The name of the
American commissioner will be an.
nounced later.
The note requesting the President
of the United States to designate the
umpire, which was addressed to Am.
bassador Houghton, is as follows:
Mr. Ambassador: The agreement
concluded today for the settlement of
the amount of American claims for
damages, provided by Article Two,
that on basis of an agreement be-
tween the two Governments concerned
an umpire shall be chosen. The Ger
man Government is convinced of the
intention of the American Government
to carry out in an accommodating and
just manner the settlement of the
questions still to be solved between
the two States concerned, the way to
which is opened by the signature of
the agreement. 1t is still farther
strengthened in this belief by the as
surances received from your Excel
lency.
The German Government believes
that the distrust of nations toward
one another brought about by the
war and the severe economic damages
which it caused to all countries con-
cerned can be most certainly done
approach the solution of the questions
which have arisen between them as a
consequence of the war in a generous
manner and in the spirit of mutual ac.
commodation.
The German Government welcomes
the fact that the American Govern.
ment intends to take the initiative in
this connection. In order to make
this possible and in order to give the
American Government a proof of its
confidence, the German Government
has the honor to request the President
of the United States to cause an
American person, seeming to him
suited for this responsible office to ac
cept the position of umpire, such as
is contemplated in the above men
toned agreement. l should be crate
full to your Excellency if you would
transmit this proposal of the German
Government to the President of the
United States. At the same time
take advantage of this occasion to re
new to you, Mr.. Ambassador, the as
sideration.