File No. 763.72113/632
The Secretary of State to the Russian Ambassador ( Bakhmeteff)
The Secretary of State presents his compliments to His Excellency, the Russian Ambassador, and referring to the memorandum2 left with the Department by Baron Gunzburg, Attaché to the Russian Embassy, concerning demands made upon Russian consuls by representatives of the Alien Property Custodian, for property in their hands from the estates of deceased Russians in this country [Page 307] belonging to Russian citizens residing in portions of Russia occupied by the enemy, has the honor to state that the matter was referred to the Alien Property Custodian for consideration and that the Department is now advised that while fully authorized by the Trading with the Enemy Act to take over such property, the Alien Property Custodian will issue instructions not to press demands which may have been made, and will refrain at this time from making further demands upon Russian consuls for property of this nature in their hands belonging to Russian citizens who are included in the term “enemy” only by reason of their residence in such part of Russia as may be occupied by the forces of the enemy.
The Alien Property Custodian states that the Trading with the Enemy Act requires that reports of property in the United States belonging to such persons should, nevertheless, be made to him.
- Not printed.↩