Jewish Groups Laud Eisenhower’s Signing of Heirless Property Bill

The signing by President Eisenhower of the Heirless Property Bill, under which philanthropic organizations may get up to $3,000,000 from confiscated German property in this country, was hailed today by the American Jewish Committee, the American Jewish Congress, and the American Joint Distribution Committee, the major Jewish organizations which, since the war, have deeply concerned themselves with the heirless property problem both in the United States and abroad. The approval of this bill by the President brings to a successful conclusion six years of effort to obtain Congressional passage of this measure.

The bill provides that property in the United States, seized as enemy property, which was owned by persons persecuted by the wartime enemies of the U.S. for racial, religious or political reasons, shall be turned over to successor organizations, to be designated by the President, for use in the relief, rehabilitation and re-settlement of the surviving victims of persecution.

In applauding the action taken by the President and Congress, the organizations expressed great satisfaction that the Congress had formally recognized the principle, which the organizations considered to be pre-eminently just, that property belonging to persons who died as a result of the genocide practiced by the enemy should not escheat to the State, but should be employed in the relief of the needy survivors of the persecution.

The organizational representatives further emphasized that the action taken by Congress is consistent with the principle which the United States championed with respect to similar property situations abroad, including Germany. Austria, the satellite countries, and in the neutral countries. The organizations expressed their gratification over the whole-hearted support which this legislation received both from parties, and from the present and past administrations.