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Show WASHINGTON NQWS ; FROM OUR CONGRttstlAN W. K. GRANGER legality of (if War Loot The spectacular case of an Army colonel and his WAC captain wift Alio are charged with looting $1.-.iUO.OUO $1.-.iUO.OUO in crown Jewels has raised many questions about wartime looting by Auvriii.M soldiers In Germany and Japan. Many of the soldiers who came home with silverware, sil-verware, jewelry or paintings are ueginnlng to wonder if they will be compelled to account to military mili-tary lay for their souvenir hunting, hunt-ing, Although veterans admit that fighting soldiers picked up article. of value in private homes, as well as on the battlefields, it comes as a shock to most Americans that U. S. troops might have Indulged in looting. In answer to the European Euro-pean charges of individual looting b;,i American soldiers, the Army his sent scores of men to Europe to pay claims filed by civilians. No claim is paid unless It can be proved prov-ed that the Americans were the only ones who could have done he damage. As occupation progresses, war booty becomes, less of an Issue however, and looting of civilians by American soldiers declines. At homp, Uie (Stances grow smaller that a veteran who kept his looting loot-ing to more modest scale than the thieves of the Hesse crown jewels will be hauled Into court to explain ex-plain his bounty. |