In conclusion, the Minister begs leave to draw His Excellency's attention to the urgent character of the above request. WASHINGTON, May 10, 1918. [Received May 11.] File No. 763.72113/550 The Minister in Switzerland (Stovall) to the Secretary of State [Telegram] BERNE, May 13, 1918, 4 p. m. 3348. My 3163, April 25, 4 p. m., American property in Germany. Imperial Foreign Office informs Spanish Embassy, Berlin, that measures regarding registration, sequestration, and liquidation of American property apply to the property of Americans residing in Germany as well as of those not residing there and that residence has no effect upon the working of the law. The German Government states it is resolved to execute any decrees against American property only in so far as the American authorities carry out the laws passed against German property in the United States. STOVALL File No. 763.72113/542 The Secretary of State to the French Ambassador (Jusserand)1 No. 2152 WASHINGTON, May 25, 1918. EXCELLENCY: Under the provisions of the Trading with the Enemy Act, all persons residing within enemy territory, or territory occupied by the armed forces of the enemy, are classed as enemies and their property is subject to being taken over by the Alien Property Custodian. Heretofore, it has not been the policy of the Alien Prop. erty Custodian to demand such property where it clearly appeared that the owners thereof were loyal citizens of France. Owing to the delay in securing accurate information from territory occupied by the enemy, the difficulty in determining the character of such persons is very great, and in view of the large amount of property of this nature in the United States, and the fact that the persons in this country who have charge of the property are restricted in their freedom of action in respect thereto by the limitations imposed by the Trading with the Enemy Act, serious confusion would result if the The same, mutatis mutandis, on the same date, to the Belgian Minister (No. 71). Custodian should await, in each case, the receipt of information as to the status of the owner before making demand for the property. It has been arranged that the Attorney General shall entertain jurisdiction of claims under section 9 of the act, when made by any person whose enemy character has changed since the property was taken over by reason of his coming out of enemy territory, or by reason of the enemy withdrawing its armed forces from his place of residence. This Government, therefore, considers it advisable to take over all property in this country belonging to such persons. whether they be American citizens or citizens or subjects of cobellig. erent powers. This step is looked upon as a means of affording protection to the owners of the property involved who will thus be without means to satisfy any demands which may be made upon them by the enemy-their property being held for them against enemies and all others by the Government of the United States pending the presentation of claims therefor to the Attorney General. For the foregoing reasons, this Government is desirous of treating the property in this country of citizens of France residing in territory occupied by the enemy as it treats the property of American citizens therein residing, but, before so doing, it wishes to bring the matter to Your Excellency's attention, and to inquire whether or not there exists any objection on the part of Your Excellency's Government to the adoption of the proposed measure. Accept [etc.] ROBERT LANSING Proclamation No. 1454, May 31, 1918, Including Certain Individuals as "Enemies" for Purposes of the Trading with the Enemy Act, and Requiring Reports as to Their Property BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION WHEREAS paragraph (c) of Section Two of the Act entitled "An Act To define, regulate, and punish trading with the enemy, and for other purposes", approved October 6, 1917, known as the Trading with the enemy Act, provides that the word "enemy " as used therein shall be deemed to mean, for the purpose of such trading and of said Act, in addition to the individuals, partnerships or other bodies of individuals or corporations specified in paragraph (a), and in addition to the Government and political or municipal subdivisions, officers, officials, agents or agencies thereof specified in paragraph (b), of said Section Two, the following: "Such other individuals, or body or class of individuals, as may be natives, citizens, or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war, other than citizens of the United States, wherever resident or wherever doing business, as the President, if he shall find the safety of the United States or the successful prosecution of the war shall so require, may, by proclamation, include within the term 'enemy ""; Now, THEREFORE, I, WOODROW WILSON, President of the United States of America, pursuant to the authority vested in me, and in accordance with the provisions of the said Act of October 6, 1917, known as the Trading with the enemy Act, do hereby find that the safety of the United States and the successful prosecution of the present war require that, (1) Any woman, wherever resident outside of the United States, who is a citizen or subject of any nation with which the United States is at war and whose husband is either (a) an officer, official or agent of the government of any nation with which the United States is at war, or (b) resident within the territory (including that occupied by the military or naval forces) of any nation with which the United States is at war, or (c) resident outside of the United States and doing business within such territory; and (2) All citizens or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war (other than citizens of the United States) who have been or shall hereafter be detained as prisoners of war, or who have been or shall hereafter be interned by any nation which is at war with any nation with which the United States is also at war; and (3) Such other individuals or body or class of individuals as may be citizens or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war (other than citizens of the United States) wherever resident outside of the United States, or wherever doing business outside of the United States, who since the beginning of the war have disseminated, or shall hereafter disseminate propaganda calculated to aid the cause of any such nation in such war, or to injure the cause of the United States in such war, or who since the beginning of the war has assisted or shall hereafter assist in plotting or intrigue against the United States, or against any nation which is at war with any nation which is at war also with the United States; and (4) Such other individuals or body or class of individuals as may be citizens or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war wherever resident outside of the United States, or wherever doing business outside of the United States, who are or may hereafter be included in a publication issued by the War Trade Board of the United States of America, entitled "Enemy Trading List "; and the term "body or class of indi-· viduals" as herein used shall include firms and co-partnerships contained in said enemy trading list of which one or more of the members or partners shall be citizens or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war; and (5) Any citizen or subject of any nation with which the United States is at war wherever resident outside of the United States, who has been at any time since August 4, 1914, resident within the territory (including that occupied by the military or naval forces) of any nation with which the United States is at war, shall all be included within the meaning of the word "enemy" for the purposes of the "Trading with the enemy Act" and of such trading; and I do hereby proclaim to all whom it may concern that every such individual or body or class of individuals herein referred to shall be and hereby is included within the meaning of the word "enemy " and shall be deemed to constitute an "enemy " for said purposes. And by virtue of further authority vested in me by said Act entitled "An Act To define, regulate, and punish trading with the enemy, and for other purposes", approved October 6, 1917, and known as the Trading with the enemy Act, I hereby make the following order, rule and regulation. I hereby require that, pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of section seven of said "Trading with the enemy Act ", every corporation incorporated within the United States, and every unincorporated association, or company, or trustee, or trustees within the United States, issuing shares or certificates representing beneficial interests, shall transmit to the Alien Property Custodian a full list of every officer, director, or stockholder known to be, or whom the representative of such corporation, association, company or trustee may have reasonable cause to believe to be, included by the above proclamation within the term "enemy ", together with a statement of the amount of stock or shares owned by each such officer, director, or stockholder, or in which he has any interest; and any person in the United States who holds or has or shall hold or have custody or control of money or other property, beneficial or otherwise, alone or jointly with others, of, for, by, on account of or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, and any person within the United States, who is or shall be indebted in any way to, any person included by the above proclamation within the term "enemy ", or any person whom he may have reasonable cause to believe to be so included, shall report the fact to the Alien Property Custodian. Such lists, statements and reports shall be made and transmitted to the Alien Property Custodian, in such form and under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe within thirty days after the date of this order, or within thirty days after money or other property owing or belonging to or held for, by, on account of or on behalf of, or for the benefit of any such "enemy " shall come within the custody or control of the reporter, or within thirty days after any person shall become an "enemy " by virtue of the terms of the above proclamation. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. DONE in the District of Columbia, this 31st day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen, and [SEAL] of the independence of the United States the one hundred and forty-second. By the President: WOODROW WILSON ROBERT LANSING Secretary of State. File No. 763.72113/542 The Assistam Secretary of State (Phillips) to the French WASHINGTON, June 27, 1918. MY DEAR MR. AMBASSADOR: Referring to your call on June 7 with reference to the Department's note No. 2152 of May 25, I beg to advise you that no sale or other disposition of the property in this country belonging to the French resident in that part of France now occupied by the enemy is contemplated, but it will be safely held by the Government of the United States as nearly as possible in the form in which taken over for the owners against enemies and all others, to be returned to the French owners upon the loss of their enemy status, as defined in the Trading with the Enemy Act, being duly established. I am [etc.] WILLIAM PHILLIPS Proclamation No. 1464, June 28, 1918, Taking over for the United States Title to and Possession of Property on the Hudson River Owned by the North German Lloyd Dock Co. and the HamburgAmerican Line Terminal and Navigation Co. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION WHEREAS the Act of Congress making appropriations to supply urgent deficiencies in appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1918, and prior fiscal years, on account of war expenses and for other purposes, approved March 28, 1918 (Public-No. 10965th Congress), contains the following provisions: "The President is authorized to acquire the title to the docks, piers, warehouses, wharves, and terminal equipment and facilities on the Hudson River now owned by the North German Lloyd Dock 1A similar letter was sent on the same date to the Belgian Minister. (File No. 763.72113/611.) |