ALLIES’ PROPERTY IN GERMANY

Taihape Daily Times, 19 April 1919, Page 3

ALLIES’ PROPERTY IN GERMANY

175.000,000 WORTH TO BE HANDED OVER.

(By H, J. Greonwell. in, the London

Daily Express.)

BERLIN

From Privy Councillor Herman Nicders I have been able to obtain seine particulars regarding the fate of enemy property in Germany. Niederg is its custodian and according to him, billion marks worth (£175.-000, 000 nominally) of enemy property had been inventoried and is in his custody. This included 70,000 items of personal property. •

All this is to be turned over to its legitimate owners as soon as peace is signed, and “if the peace terms permit.?’ The explanation of this phrase is that the terms might force the giving up of the properties to the Allies irrespective of its original ownership.

All the French and British factories have been wound up but no American factories have been so treated. They have been run under German supervision, books will be available lo the owners as soon as peace is signed. One per cent, will be deducted t'r■ bookkeeping expenses; war taxes will also be deducted.

Owners of property in Germany will therefore be able to draw profits from the manufacture of guns that have been used to kill the Allied peoples.

Rubber, nickel, and similar articles of which Giormany stood in sore need were requisitioned and flic money paid for these goods was turned over to trustees. This money will be repaid on the game terms as those applied to other property. The American factories—many of them of first rate importance—are intact, and they be restarted when peace'is signed