Evening star., 1951-12-23
Alien Property Report
By Justice Department
For Wiley Is Finished.
By GEORGE Beyeridoe

The Justice Department has
completed a series of reports to
Senator Wiley, Republican, OF
Wisconsin, on 10 business firms
operated under control Of the
Office of Alien Property, which
have a combined net worth OF
more than Slit million and COM
|bined total assets of more than
|$218 million.
Senator Wiley, ranking minority
member of the Senate judiciary
Committee, called for data on the
10, largest "alien property firms
after demanding a sweeping in
|vestigation of all activities of the
Alien Property Office.
Characterizing the entire pro-
gram as super gravy-train" for
Democratic favorites, the Wiscon-
sin Republican is expected to press
next month for an inquiry into
the operation. Among activities
he specifically wants to go into are
appointments of officers and di-
|rectors of corporations, legal fees
and expenses paid by the Govern
ment-controlled firms and 1.-THE
peculiar nature of certain sales Of
property"
Two Reports Filed.
In compliance with his demand,
the Justice Department filed the
first of it's reports on the 10 larg-
est firms December Z, and re-
ported on the last of them on
Friday. 49,.
Fridays report on the Schering
Corp, of Bloomfield. N. j., brought
out that a former director and
three former employees of the Of
flee of Alien Property received
either legal fees or pay from the
controlled corporation after leav-
ing Government service. Among
those listed was Donald c. Cook,
director of the Office from De-
cember 2. 1916, to May 80, 1947.
The records said he was former
member of the law firm OF Cook
and Berger, which received $38,636
in legal fees from Schering after
Mr.. Cook left the alien property
post.
Farben Firm Is Largest.
The first, and largest, of the
firms reported to Senator Wiley
was the General Anilne & Film
Corp, second largest producer in
the United States of Photographic
film. and an important producer
in the dyestuff and chemical in
dustries. The controlling interest
of Germany's l. G. Farben trust
in general Analine was seized in
1912 and the Government now
holds 81 .98 per cent of the capital
stock. The firm has a present
net worth of $82.5 million and to-
tai assets listed at SIPS million
The other nine firms, listed in
order of their reported net worth,
are:
l. The Schering Corp, major
producer of endocrine and phar-
maceutical preparations, with a
listed net worth of $11 ,388,994 and
assets of $14.582,682. In April
1912. the Government seized all
of the 44,00O shares of common
stock and Al per cent of the pre-
ferred stock of Schering. a for
mer subsidiary of a German firm,
2. General Dyestuff Corp. sales
agency for dyestuffs produced by
General Aniline & Film Corp,
with a net worth of $7.918. 103 and
assets of $l0.38l.14o. The Gov
eminent holds all outstanding
shares. Of capital stock, and. the
interest was seized in June. l942
Gas Company Included.
3. Karl Lieberknecht. Inc. OF
Reading, Pa, a leading manu-
facturer of hosiery knitting ma
chimes. 1t has a listed net worth
of $5,888 1851 and assets listed at
s8.184,921. The Office controls
63.21 per cent of the capital stock.
4. Spur Distributing Co., Inc, of
Nashville, Tenn, in the retail sale
and distribution of gasoline ane
oil at 248 service stations. The
Justice Department listed a net
worth of $3,S50,820 and total as
sets Of $5,682.324. The Govern
hent holds 1923 per cent of the
Outstanding stock.
5. Harvard Brewing Co, OF
Lowell, Mass, producers of beer
and ale, with a listed net worth OF
's2,131 ,518, and assets of $3,126, ,432
The Government holds 61.2 per
cent Of the capital stock.
6. Herman Basch g. Co., Inc,
of New York. listed as the second
leading dyer of Persian lamb fur
in the United States. With the
Government holding 72.1 per cent
of the stock, the firm has assets
listed at $2,219,Oo0 and a net
worth of more than S1.8 million
Half Interest Seized.
Z. Seeck & Kade, Inc, pharma-
Iceutical house in which the Gov
ernment seized so per cent Ger