Evening star., 1946-12-30

united states customs regulations
are barring the way to making
s12 100000 in Nazi loot available for
the relief of Nazi victims.
The treasure consists of gold
dental filings, jewels, watches, rugs
silverware and other valuables that
the Hitlerites took from thousands
of victims in Central and Eastern
Europe. OccupatIonal and State
Department officials want to bring
the hoard to this country for sale
here, and then use the money for the
care and rehabilitation of refugees
But customs regulations bar the
way. Unless they are let down for
this purpose, a toll of As per cent
(s5 600 ,OO0) will be exacted on the
appraised value of the treasure.
Only One Way Out.
The United States Government
wants none of this blood money
But the law is the law. The only
way the problem can be met is for
President Truman to use his emer-
gency war powers to set the regula-
tions aside, so the loot can enter
customs-free.
Precedent exists for such action
In 1942 President Roosevelt ex-
empted imports of food. clothing
medical, surgical and other supplies
consigned to the American Red
Cross.
A similar proclamation now Is
being prepared by Will Clayton
Undersecretary of State for. ECO
nomic affairs, and Mai Gen. John
H. Hildring, Assistant Secretary OF
State for military government
abroad. The two officials are lead
ers of the plan to utilize this Nazi
loot to aid victims. OF Nazi terrier
Would Help Taxpayers.
The sl2,000,000 would be added
to another s25, 100000 in German
stolen assets seized by the Allies in
Switzerland and Sweden. The COM
bined $37,0O0,00 would do great
deal in relieving the widespread
distress among tens of thousands of
European refugees, particularly So
called nonrepatriables. These are
displaced persons who are unable
to return to their homelands for
racial or political reasons.
The huge sum also would be big
help to American taxpayers. 1t
would relieve them of that much
outlay for refugee relief.
ic in, "a M
the United States Army at two
places. The bulk is in large ware
house at Salzburg, Austria. and the
remainder in the Reichsbank deposi-
tory in Frankfurt The story behind
the seizure of the treasure is an
amazing war tale.
Train Fled Soviet Army.
When the Russian Army began
advancing into Hungary, the Ges-
tapo assembled all the Nazi loot
from Eastern Europe concentration
camps and other sources in Buda-
pest. When it was threatened, the
loot was loaded on a special train
and started west toward Germany.
Under the command of Gestapo
colonel, the train shuttled back and
forth for several months in an effort
to get through to Germany. Mean
while, Gen George S. Patton's slash
ing Third Army crashed into Austria
and was racing eastward to make
contact with the advancing Rus
slams. A detachment of one of Pat
tons armored spearheads overran
the train.
The laundering tankers had more
important business at the moment
than to take the train into custody
They disarmed the krauts and or
dered the train commander to move
the train toward the main 3rd Army
forces. The train headed that way
all right, but the Gestapo colonel
did not.
He's at Large With Diamonds.
Somewhere en- route he absconded
with several cases of diamonds. His
identity is known, but he has not
yet been apprehended. Neither has
the loot that he took with him.
Counterintelligence Corps agents
believe it is buried somewhere in
Austria.
The loot now in Frankfurt was
discovered by Col. Bernard Bern
stein, former military government
financial adviser in Germany. Col
Bernstein traced it to huge salt
mine in Merkes, Germany. A large
portion of the loot consisted of dental
filings taken from thousands OF