A bill directing a bulk settlement of claims to property belonging to victims of Nazi persecution who died without heirs and which currently is vested in the United States Office of Alien Property, was introduced today in the House of Representatives by Congressman Arthur G. Klein of New York.
The bill is in furtherance of the intent of Congress as expressed in United States Public Law 626, that heirless property formerly belonging to Nazi victims and seized by the U.S. Government during World War II as the property of nominal enemy aliens, should be sued for the relief and rehabilitation of needy persecutees residing in the United States. The law imposed a ceiling of $3,000,000 as the overall sum which could be recovered. A preliminary survey of the claims on file indicates that they would run to a considerably greater figure.
By way of implementation, President Eisenhower, acting in January 1955 designated the Jewish Restitution Successor Organization, a New York charitable member corporation, as the successor organization authorized to claim heirless property of Nazi victims under the terms of Public Law 626. The United States authorities in Germany had previously designated the JRSO to press claims against Germany to heirless Jewish property located in the United States zone.
The JRSO has filed some 7,000 claims with the Office of Alien Property. Technical difficulties connected with the processing of these claims on a case-by-case basis are enormous. It would be the work of years to see these claims through to final adjudication and the process would involve great and needless expense both to the JRSO and the Government. These factors produce a situation in which attainment of the basic objective of Public Law 626–to secure early aid to needy Nazi victims–would be put off for at least several years more. This delay would be in addition to the eleven years which have already elapsed since the end of the war.
The bill introduced by Congressman Klein provides for a bulk settlement of the heirless property claims, sets a minimum of $2,000,000 and a maximum of $3,000,000 and requires that the exact amount-be determined within six months of enactment. Payment is to be made to the JRSO out of funds currently in the hands of the United States Office of Alien Property. These funds are more than sufficient to meet even the maximum amount authorized.
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