Pierce Butler

“ It argues that its interest in the property taken was not 'completely and irrevocably destroyed' and that the Settlement of War Claims Act was an act under which it 'could and did obtain a vested interest in its property.' To the extent that the argument rests upon the assumption that the taking did not divest enemy owners of every right or that the United States did not acquire absolute title, it is fallacious and need not be noticed. ”

“ If the President shall not so order within 60 days or if the claimant shall have filed the required notice and made no application, then claimant may institute a suit in equity 'to establish the interest, right, title * * * so claimed, and if so established the court shall order the payment, conveyance, transfer, assignment, or delivery to said claimant of the money or other property so held by the Alien Property Custodian or by the Treasurer of the United States or the interest therein to which the court shall determine said claimant is entitled. ”

“ Congress reserved to itself freedom at any time to dispose of the property as deemed expedient and right under circumstances that might arise during and after the war. Legislative history and terms of measures passed in relation to alien enemy property clearly disclose that from the beginning Congress intended after the war justly to deal with former owners and, by restitution or compensation in whole or part, to ameliorate hardships falling upon them as a result of the seizure of their property. ”