Paris Peace Conf. 184.01102/266
Lieutenant F. R. King to Professor A. C. Coolidge62
Subject: Expropriation of the great estates.
An agreement is apparently being reached by the various parties of the National Assembly in regard to the above subject which has been causing a considerable amount of friction between the extreme Socialists and the conservative elements in the parliament. The presidents of the Political Clubs held a meeting on March 20, 1919 and discussed the different proposals made by the various parties and especially the proposal introduced by the agrarian party dealing with the principle that all great estates be proclaimed property of the Republic. An agreement was reached as follows: A committee counting 32 members will be appointed for the purpose of studying the question of the expropriation of the great estates and a subcommittee consisting of three members will be required to submit a report within 8 days on a proposal regarding land reform. Modracek will be one of the members of the general committee. The programme of reform as suggested by the Czech State Right Democrats is as follows:
- 1.
- The great estates (i. e. over 250 ha) are to be expropriated.
- 2.
- All estates of the late Emperor family Habsburg-Lorraine or of any member of this family, or of any member of any German Imperial family, will be confiscated for the benefit of the Republic without compensation.
- 3.
- All estates will be expropriated without compensation which became the property of the ancestors of the present owners for political or religious reasons during the 30 years war.
- 4.
- A special law will be passed regarding the compensation of other great estates.
- 5.
- All private forests will become state property.
- 6.
- A Colony office consisting of 15 members of the administrative commission will decide all questions regarding the distribution of the confiscated and expropriated estates.
- 7.
- Public Credit Institutions will be entrusted with all credit operations connected with the expropriation and colonisation of the estates.
- 8.
- The government is entitled to take any measures necessary for an economic development of the estates as mentioned in this law.
- 9.
- All legal dispositions (expropriations, confiscations, mortgage of the estates) made after October 28, 1918 can be cancelled by the Colony Office.
- 10.
- The ministries will be charged with the execution of this law. The agricultural committee will report on this programme. The Social Democrats who represent the extreme socialist view wish the Republic to rent out the estates expropriated on long term leases to those of the poor who are not able to purchase land. They wish to prevent all speculation and resale of land allotted. It is to be expected that a compromise satisfactory to all parties will be reached in a few weeks.
- Transmitted to the Commission by Professor Coolidge under covering letter No. 178, March 24; received March 26.↩