763.72113 Au 7/33
The Austrian Minister (Prochnik) to the Secretary of State
Excellency: Sect. 7 of the “Settlement of War Claims Act of 1928” provides for the creation of an Austrian special deposit account and authorizes the Alien Property Custodian to transfer into said account all property of the Austrian Government including a trust held by him in the name of the K. K. Österreichische Tabak Regie (Austrian Tobacco Monopoly).
The said Act furthermore provides for the release of Austrian property under the provision that the Commissioner of the Tripartite Claims Commission certifies to the Secretary of the Treasury, that the amounts deposited in the said Austrian special account are sufficient to make the payments authorized by subsection (b) of Section 5 in respect of awards against Austria.
[Page 488]Whereas a number of awards were passed by the Commissioner and are awaiting payment out of funds in the Austrian special deposit account; and whereas the work of the Tripartite Claims Commission is nearing that point of progress where the Commissioner will be in a position to determine the maximum total of American claims against Austria and form an opinion whether the same seems to be sufficiently covered by whatever amount is deposited in said Austrian account, I have the honor to solicit on behalf of my Government Your Excellency’s kind intermediary with a view of having at the earliest possible convenience transferred to the Austrian special deposit account all property of the Austrian Government seized by the Alien Property Custodian in accordance with the Trading with the Enemy Act, including the trust held in the name of K. K. Österreichische Tabak Regie (Austrian Tobacco Monopoly).
An early compliance with this request will be highly appreciated by my Government.
Accept [etc.]