Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-03-01
Alien Property Custodian
Plans to Part With
Seized Goods
IS UNECONOMICAL
Would Free. All Property
of SO Per Cent of Those
Who Now Are Under
Custodian
(By ISAAC GREGG

Washington, March 1.-The bill
prepared by Col. Thomas w. Mil
Ter, for the return of alien prp-
erty held by his Office as Alien
Property Gust dian and which
is now on the calendar of the
Senate provides zor the return
of all trusts of the value of
$4,000 and under and a like
amount out of trusts whose val
use exceeds this amount.
If enacted into law this bill
will divorce the Alien Property
Custodian from custody over ap-
proximately 90 per cent of the
individuals whose property has
been seized, but will only return
approximately forty-fve million
dollars out of total of three
hundred ana forty-seven million
dollars, the total value of the
property held by Col. Miller to-
day. This measure also provides
that all income accruing to the
original owners of the property.
Other features of the bill are
an administrative character with
the exception of the provision
barring fugitives from justice
from receiving any property, this
applying principally to the prop
erty of Grover Cleveland Berg
doll now held by the Allen prop
erty Custodian.
The bill was originally pro-
posed by the present Custodian
as the result Of the entire stu
alton and in June, 1922, was ap-
proved by the President, after
conference with the Secretary of
State, Attorney General and Col.
Miller. Claims against Germany
largely are for loss of life and
property at sea previous to April
6, 1917, and for damage or de-
probation to American property
in Germany when in the hands
of the German alien property
custodian. The question of the
adjudication of these claims is
now in the hands of the Mixed
Claims Commission, operating uri
der the Department of State.
There are two radically op-
posite schools of thought on the
aien property situation. One
school advocates the immediate
and unconditional return of all
property to be immediately util-
lied for the payment of Ameri-
can claims against Germany, as
the awards are made by the
Mixed Claims COmmissin. But
the confscation of private prop
erty tospay national debts is not
approved by high government Of
ficials.
Section 5 of the Knox Porter
Peace Resolution adopted July 2,
1921, specifically directs that the
alien property shall be retained
by this government until such
time as the former enemy gov
ernments make suitable provis-
ions for the satisfaction of the
claims of Americans against
these governments. These are the
last legislative instructions by
the Congress on this questIn.
1t is argued that the cOntin-
ued retention and administration
by the Alien Property Custodian
of the small trusts represented
by the SO per cent under $4,000
is uneconomical and unwise from
a business standpoint. If in the
remote future there is any like
lihood that a portion of this
property will be used to satisfy
American claims, the proportion
contributed by the smaller trusts
viii be insignificant. Their re-
turn at this time would con-
tribute vastly to relief of the
economic situation ii Germany,
which in turn affects the trade of
that country with the United
] States erd othn~ '-at'~---