Evening star., 1922-04-10
$35Q,0D0,O)D HELD
|NENEMY PROPERTY
Custodian Reports the Total
in Hand of Seizures
From Aliens.

An accounting Of the S350,o0o, 900
worth of enemy property held by the
government was given the Senate to-
day in report-the first compiled
since February, 1919-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 prop
erty," Mr.. Miller said, will un-
doubtedly have a direct bearing on
the economic relations between this
country and Europe, with particular
reference to the late enemy powers.
The sequestered property will also
have bearing on the question of the
settlement of American claims
against Germany"
Discusses American Claims.
Discussing the S415,0o0,000 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 German gov
ernment had provided for the salts
faction of all American claims. He
asserted that Congress must evolve
some plan whereby American claims
against Germany may be adjudicated
by some proper tribunal created by
law.
There are several classes of claims
against Germany" Mr.. Miller said,
"as, for instance, those of Americans
whose cash was seized by the Ger
man custodian and who are now be-
ing 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 reduc-
ton of 720 per cent from the pre-war
value. This proposition amounts to
practical confiscation on the part of
also claims on file with the State
Department for the loss Of property
and life at sea, growing out of sub
marine sinkingS previous to April g.,
1917.
Largely Absorbed I'm Taxes.
eff the German property were re-
turned today without any conditions
the tax laws in force in Germany
would require German nationals or
other people under the jurisdiction
of the German government, whose
property was returned to them to give
up in taxes to the German govern
ment a major portion of the funds
returned. 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 second known
as the indemnity tax. the proceeds
of which are paid into reparations
going to our late allies.
TT 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 satisfac-
against Germany when these claims
are adjudicated."
Makes VolumfnOus Report.
thousands oftypewritten pages giving
the details of about $4,000 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 fac
tories, 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 cOnSummated with
Germany last July, the report declar-
ed that the last property seized was
that belonging to Grover Cleveland
Bergdoll, which was seized May 81,
1921.
Salaries and Fees Paid.
Responding to inquiry for details
of salaries and fees paid in connec-
tion with the enemy property. the re-
port showed the following lost:
Attorneys fees paid prior to March
4, 1921, $2,13S,546; attorneys fees paid
since March 4, 1921, $116,469.47; SAL
aries of officers and directors of cor
porations previous to March 4, 1921,
S1,574,017; salaries since March 4, 1921,
$132,435; paid for accounting and ap-
praising. previous to March 4, 1921,
$1,O54,S59.23: paid for the same, since
March 4, 1921, $2.718; paid for adver-
tising and printing previous to March
4, 1921, s25S. 067.
One accounting bill alone of s173,757
the report declared. was paid to an
accounting firm out of the congress
sional appropriation, for a report
covering various operations of the
custodian's Office to August. 1919. but
which was not completed until April
/. 1921, and was then "of no practical
value" The report listed all money
spent on advertising and "the news
papers so favored"