The Daily Alaska empire., 1936-05-12
ATTY.
 GENERAL DIES
 IN WASHINGTON
Fighting Official, Booster for Woodrow Wilson,
 Passes Away

WASHINGTON, May 12.-A. Mit- chell Palmer, former Attorney Gen. eral who died late yesterday after noon following an operation for removal of his appendix on April 29, born of peace-loving Quaker stock, during the most active period of his life was engaged in one fight after another with the climax bomb outrage in which he was the target.
 Within the period of eight years from 1912 to 1920-he led a suc- cessful battle in the Baltimore Democratic onvention for the nomination of Woodrow Wilson: served as member of the House; turned down the Secretaryship of War; acted as Alien Property Gus todian and Attorney Generais sought the Democratic Presidential nomination; and eng aged in series of unusually bitter contro- versies in and out of Congress over his work in office.
 In Public Eye
 Mir Palmer'S activities as Alien Property Custodian and as Attorney General contributed most to keep him in the public eye. Soon after America entered the war he was called upon to become the first Custodian and he seized $7o0,000,- 900 in enemy properties. Disputes over the methods of handling the trusts ensued and lasted for years.
 It was under his direction that the German dye and chemical pat ents were seized and later turned over to the Chemical Foundation. His contention always was that the step was necessary to build up an American industry free from Ger man domination, and this was ad- vanced when the Government sought to cancel the transaction through court action.
 Congressional Investigation
 Even after his promotion to the post of Attorney General the wrangle over the seized properties continued, and Congressional in- vestigation finally determined that the charges aganist him were not sustained. Prominent among his &C., cusers was Samuel Untermyer, the New York lawyer and counsel of a New York legislative committee.
 Seeing the light of day first at Moosehead, Pa, May 4, 1872, young Palmer attended school and college in his native State and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1893. He was elected member of the House in 1908 from the 26th Pennsylvania disrict, and in the pre-convention and post convention campaign in 1912 he was tireless in his support of MT. Wilson.
 Declines War Secretary
 Upon assuming office. President Wilson offered him the post of Secretary of War, but he declined it because of his religious faith, which opposed war. He continued his service in Congress until 1915, and in 1917 he was called to the post of Property Custodian soon after the United States entered the World War.
 His nomination as Attorney Gen. eral was submitted February 27, 1919, and it was not until August 29 that it was confirmed. In the meantime, administration of his previous post was live subject of controversy. He received recess appointment to head the Depart ment of Justice, however, and inn mediately .anbarked on campaign againstl aeds' which was punc- tuated by the explosion of bomb at his home in Washington on the night of June 2 of the same year, which caused him to take up a secret residence in the capital. Another bomb was addressed to the Attorney General by mail but