File No. 811.542/76
The Attorney General ( Gregory) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 5.]
Sir: I am in receipt of your letter of June 27, 1917,2 enclosing a copy of a letter from Murray & Murray, patent attorneys, with reference to the payment of fees and annuities on patents in Germany.
[Page 322]This is a matter on which I have already communicated with your Department, pointing out the necessity for some arrangement being made for the transmission of funds through the mails or otherwise.
The statement of Messrs. Murray & Murray that the Department has issued an order to banks, trust companies, etc., to refuse the sale of drafts or transmission of funds whose ultimate destination is Germany, Austria and Hungary is not strictly accurate. The Department has already authorized the United States Attorney in New York to inform parties desiring to transmit funds for the specific purpose referred to in the President’s proclamation that the Department would raise no objection to such transmission.
Strictly speaking, of course, this Department has no jurisdiction at all in the matter, since, until the Trading with the Enemy bill passes, the transmission of funds is not a criminal offense.
Respectfully,
Assistant Attorney General
- Not printed.↩