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Show HUGHES RAPS CLAIMS BILL Stand Presages Another Bitter Treaty Fight in , Senate By H. L. ROGERS (International News Service) WASHINGTON, July 29. A sharp conflict between Secretary of State Hfaghas and the senate over the manner man-ner of Bettllng American claims against German, revealed In the announcement an-nouncement of l he dlvurRcnt views of the secretary of state and Senator1 Up derwood. I hi' Democratic leader pressed pres-sed toniRht another bitter treaiy Hgtll In the senate. To the statement of Huphes today that the Underwood plan would not only be embarrassing to President Hardlnp but would be "at variance to the principles and practice generally observed by nations In their relations to each Other," Inderwood replied io-nlpht io-nlpht by deelarinp this view lo be "direct contravention" to the separate treaty of peace between Germany and the United States. Secretary Hughes expressed his opinion of the Underwood bill lo create cre-ate an all American claims commission commis-sion in a letter to Senator Knute Nelson, Nel-son, chairman of the senate Judiciary committee. The measure, he said, "seems to deal with the settlement of claims as if It were purely a domes tic affair." SHOULD BE HEARD The fact that the United Slate i holding property of former enemies In pledge makes it even more important impor-tant that they should be represented on the commission Hughes declared Pointing out that all projgert now held by the alien piopem BUS odjatl would not be Sufficient to meet the claims provided tor in tin Underwood bill, Hughes expressed the hope thai "no measure of confiscation would be adopted until then- ha- been rail-lire, rail-lire, after reasonable opportunity to provide for ihe satisfaction oi the claims of American citizens, duly si certained." "It Is hardly necessary for ine to say that I am most anxiovrs that a settlement of the claims ot American citizens should be prompil effected, Hughes said. "You undoubtedly appreciate that in addition to the difficulties which as a result of political and economic conditions con-ditions have confronted the nations with which the I nited States was si soclated in the war, in effecting settlement set-tlement of claim.-- against formi i i a emies, the governrnmi of tin- Un ted States was obliced to di al with claims incident to the conclusion of treaties; with Germany, Austria and Hungary, tore-establish friendlj relations with t those nations." UNDERWOOD REPLIES "I regret very much that the secre-tarjT secre-tarjT of state has lakm this position." said Senator Underwood, 'especlallj aB It Is directly IncontraventioD of the treaty of peace that he negotiated with Germany and that was signed at Berlin. This separate treaty of i peace embraces all of tin term! tit t settlement that were Included in the Versailles treaty in regard to the; property in the bands of the alien property custodian and the settleinenl of American claims. "These two treaties, which are one J so far as (he question is concerned, I especially declares thai Hm- settlement of the matter should be lelt to con gress The secretary seems to have overlooked that proposition in sug gesting that action by conprrc.--; would, embarrass the administration "This is not an open question unit the administration makes It one; that all of the issues involved were settled set-tled by an agreement In the German gOTernmehi ncrreed to requisition the property of her nationals in the hanc!-of hanc!-of the alien property custodian and ; then to pay her own national? for tin-value tin-value of the property so requi i tloned." |