It is perfectly clear to me that the bill does not cover the Philippine corporations in which there is no American interest.

Mr. HINSHAW. Or no substantial interest.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. Or no substantial American interest.

Mr. MCCARTHY. As I understood, we were to supply a memorandum, Congressman, and you were outlining the questions you had within the scope of the American nationals. I was wondering whether any others would be covered by memorandum.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. You have already outlined 3 or 4.

Mr. HINSHAW. I believe that it would be well for you gentlemen to submit a breakdown giving the number of United States national depositors which have been made whole by your respective banks, and the number of corporation depositors, and the total amount for each. And it might also be of advantage to the committee in its consideration if you break that last figure down into corporations that were evidently United States citizens in the sense that they were organized under the State laws of some particular State, and those which were American nationals with domicile in the Philippines.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. We will be happy to try to get that information. Mr. HINSHAW. Do you know of any other banks besides your own or these two which would be claimants under this bill?

Mr. MCCARTHY. The War Claims Commission report stated, I believe, that 2 banks were the only ones who established the accounts, and 10 others didn't.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. I know of no others.

Mr. BEAMER. Those are the Philippine Trust Co. and the China Bank?

Mr. FRIEDMAN. No. The Philippine National Bank and the China Bank, Inc.

Mr. HINSHAW. Just for our information, were those laws under which the banks were organized established by the Government of the Philippines or were they established by the United States?

Mr. FRIEDMAN. The United States. There was a so-called organic act, which was not identical but was very much the same as we have in Puerto Rico and places like that, and that was the basic law. It is true, as you suggested, that later on in 1934 we changed the setup and changed the Philippines into a commonwealth with a prospect of independence, and then later on the independence was granted. The basic law under which all these corporations were organized came from the United States; we enacted it.

Mr. HINSHAW. Are there any other questions?

Mr. BEAMER. Mr. Chairman, I was interested this morning in the testimony that was given by General Bluemel, and also these gentlemen. I think one of the questions I had jotted down at that time before we were called back to the House was the number of banks— which I think you have said there are only two-and the general referred to those, I think, as the Philippine Trust Co. or the Philippine National

Mr. FRIEDMAN. The Philippine National Bank.

Mr. BEAMER. Did both of these banks have branches in the various Army posts or various defense installations or just the one bank?

Mr. FRIEDMAN. This was one of the banks that General Bluemel referred to.

General BLUEMEL. The Philippine Trust Co. had the branches in the Army Post. The other banks, as far as I know, did not. There was a branch of the Philippine Trust Co. at Fort William McKinley where I was stationed before the war, and there was another branch on Corregidor.

The Philippine Trust Co. has refused to pay any of these accounts because they claim they were transferred to the Bank of Taiwan. I was endeavoring to bring that out.

Mr. BEAMER. I realize it. I was trying to establish how many banks had received deposits from either enlisted personnel or had deposits from firms with which Americans were involved.

General BLUEMEL. If I am still on the stand, I would like to state that I do know some officers who carried their accounts in the National City Bank, the branch of the National City Bank of New York. I have a personal account in the National City Bank of New York, in the 28th Street branch. A few years ago I inquired what they did about their accounts, and one of the subordinate vice presidents told me that the National City Bank branch in the Philippines had paid their depositors. But I am informed otherwise here. So I don't know about that.

Mr. BEAMER. I asked Mr. Friedman that.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. I think I would rather be clear that I cannot testify from personal knowledge that no other banks except the two have paid off. All I can say is that in my discussions in Manila and in the United States in connection with this proposed legislation I had not heard of any except two banks, the China Banking Corp. and the Philippine National Bank. The other bank which is causing the confusion to you, Mr. Beamer, is the Philippine Trust Co. That is a third bank. That is a bank that did not pay off its depositors.

As I understood it from General Bluemel's testimony and from other information I have, all three were regular commercial banks, but the Philippine Trust Co. had specialized in soliciting deposits from the military by establishing branches at some of the outlying posts like Corregidor and Fort McKinley. That is the point I think the general was making, simply that the Philippine Trust Co. had seemed to invite these deposits by establishing branches. Is that not right?

General BLUEMEL. Yes. They made it convenient for the individual to go to the bank and cash his check or make a deposit, and it was not necessary to go to Manila.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. In the case of those depositors, Mr. Beamer, to finish up the answer, in the case of the people who had deposits in the Philippine Trust Co., under this bill they would be paid directly. The Philippine Trust Co. would not get anything. But the people like General Bluemel who had a deposit in the Philippine Trust Co. would be paid directly by the Commission.

Mr. BEAMER. If we could establish possible accounts as being deposited in at least 3 banks or maybe 4 banks with the National City Bank, I am wondering how far this might go. Perhaps you have an answer to that.

Mr. MCCARTHY. I have read somewhere in here, but I cannot find it, that there were 12 banks involved. Ten banks did not pay their depositors, and only two did, the China Bank and Philippine National Bank.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. Will you identify that book?

Mr. McCARTHY. War Claims Supplemental Report to Congress. Mr. BEAMER. Which year?

Mr. MCCARTHY. January 1953.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. This was a comprehensive report that the War Claims Commission sent to the Congress, and in it they put the top limit on all of the claims of this category as around $7,500,000. As I said, I think that is high.

Mr. BEAMER. That is inclusive of all of it.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. Yes.

Mr. BEAMER. I think that answers the questions, Mr. Chairman. Mr. HINSHAW. All right. We thank you very much.

Mr. FRIEDMAN. Thank you for the opportunity.

Mr. HINSHAW. We have before us some statements submitted for the record by Mr. Frank Wilson, as messenger for those who submit the statements. All of these statements are in affidavit form, and I think they should be placed in the record. I think that these claims should be listed by the names of the claimants and perhaps the amount of the claim. They are similar in nature and typical of the claims that would be filed.

(The material referred to follows:)

CHAIRMAN,

House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee,

Washington, D. C.:

JUNE 8, 1954.

I, Haig Assadourian, 212 El Camino, Beverly Hills, Calif., American citizen, formerly interned in Santo Tomas Internment Camp, petition a favorable decision on H. R. 6407.

I had the amount of P60,600 seized by the Japanese occupation army and the amount deposited at the Bank of Taiwan, Manila, during the years of my internment. A favorable decision on amendment of H. R. 6407 would be vitally helpful to myself and my family. The recovery of this amount due to us would assist in the urgent medical care every member of my family needs besides myself. Due to ill health and hardships endured during the years of our internment, we find it most difficult to make ends meet. We cannot afford and assume the burden of expenses for medical assistance. You would understand how vitally important for a family of seven members is the amendment of H. R. 6407. Respectfully yours,

STATE OF CALIFORNIA,

Los Angeles County.

HAIG ASSADOURIAN.

On this 8th day of June 1954 before me Samuel A. Edmund, a notary public in and for said county and State, personally appeared Haig Assadourian, known to me the person, whose name is subscribed to the above statement, and acknowledged to me that he executed the same.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal the day and year in this statement above written.

SAMUEL A. EDMUND, Notary Public in and For Said County and State.

Commission expires June 2, 1955.

NEW YORK 10, N. Y.,
April 10 1954.

To the Chairman, House Interstate Foreign Commerce Committee: Subject: Claim of Ruth Jones, former internee at Santo Tomas, Manila, P. I.— 1942-45. War claim file No. 1109.

SIRS I wish to request consideration of my claim in the amount of P518, with interest, which I had deposited in the Philippine Trust Co., Manila, P. I., when the islands were occupied in 1942. This money was transferred to Taiwan (Formosa) during the occupation, but I have always believed I would be reimbursed when war claims were settled.

This will no doubt seem a negligible sum to you considering the vast amounts involved in reimbursing religious organizations and business firms for claims presented. But it is far from being insignificant to me, representing as it does hard-earned savings during the years when I could at least earn a meager salary, and much needed now that I can no longer earn wages. I shall be grateful for help.

Sworn to before me this 12th day of April 1954.

(Signed) RUTH JONES.

San Diego 16, California, April 8, 1954. To the Chairman of the House Interstate Foreign Commerce Committee, Washington, D. C.

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to request that the amount of P681.54, or $340.72, with interest, be paid to Philippines Chapter, Daughters American Revolution. This sum represents the amount of money belonging to the above society on deposit (checking and savings accounts) in the Bank of the Philippine Islands which were transferred by the Japanese to the Bank of Taiwan.

As I am still treasurer of the Philippines Chapter, D. A. R., the money should be paid me from the frozen assets of Japan.

Respectfully yours,

STATE OF CALIFORNIA,

County of San Diego, ss:

MABEL R. CARLSON.

On April 8, 1954, before me, the undersigned, a notary public in and for said county and State, personally appeared Mabel R. Carlson known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged that she executed the same.

SIR/MADAM: Re your letter of October 10, 1949.

It appears from the records of this bank that as of October 8, 1943, your account with us showed a credit balance of P681.54, which was transferred to the Bank of Taiwan, Ltd., as enemy funds upon orders of the Japanese Military authorities then occupying the Philippines.

This bank has already filed the necessary claim with the Philippine Alien Property Administration for the refund of your said balance, but, in view of the ruling laid down by the Supreme Court of the Philippines in the case of Everett Steamship Corp. v. the Bank of the Philippine Islands, it has been held that this bank, in its own name, has no interest to claim for the refund thereof. However, in the interests of its depositors and clients, this bank is now seeking permission to amend its said claim so as to make the same appear as having been filed by it as attorney-in-fact of its depositors. The Philippine Alien Property Administration has already granted the bank opportunity to present proofs of its authority to appear for and in behalf of its depositors.

In view thereof, and if you are interested to have this bank prosecute further the claim covering your account with us, which was taken by the Japanese, kindly execute before a notary public the attached power of attorney in our favor, and send the first three copies thereof to us immediately by return mail. If you are at present outside the Philippines, the notary public's signature and seal must be duly authorized by a Philippine diplomatic or consular officer sta. tioned in that country, or, if there is no such officer there, by an American consular officer.

The fees to be charged for attending your case will be 5 percent of the amount to be allowed by the committee of the Philippine Alien Property Administration

(PAPA), apart from the legal expenses to be incurred in connection therewith, which shall be borne by your good selves.

Very truly yours,

SANTIAGO FREIXAS, President. SAN DIEGO, CALIF., April 8, 1954.

To the CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE COMMITTEE, Washington, D. C.

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to apply for the benefits of $1.50 per day as allowed military personnel POW's for the 3 years and 1 month I was interned in Santo Tomas internment camp.

Respectfully yours,

STATE OF CALIFORNIA,

County of San Diego, 88:

MABEL R. CARLSON.

On April 8, 1954, before me, the undersigned, a notary public in and for said county and State, personally appeared Mabel R. Carlson known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged that she executed the same.

Witness my hand and official seal. [SEAL]

HELEN M. SNOW,

Notary Public in and for Said County and State.

My commission expires June 12, 1955.

SAN DIEGO, CALIF, April 8, 1954.

To the CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE COMMITTEE, Washington, D. C.

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to apply for full salary while I was interned in Santo Tomas internment camp by the Japanese 3 years and 1 month. My salary, as principal, was 4,500 or $2,250 per year. (Total $6,937.50.)

The Japanese interned us, so our salary was stopped, but we had to work in camp.

The Japanese took all my money from the Philippine National Bank, so I had to remain in Manila after the war. Worked as billet manager for the American Red Cross 1 year and 1 year as housing and mess supervisor for Foreign Liquidation Commission. Resigned from Bureau of Education as I was physically unable to do the hard work and long hours required of a principal. I could rest a few minutes several times a day while a billet manager or housing supervisor.

Respectfully yours,

STATE OF CALIFORNIA,

County of San Diego, 88.:

MABEL R. CARLSON.

On April 8, 1954, before me, the undersigned, a notary public in and for said county and State, personnally appeared Mabel R. Carlson, known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the within instrument and acknowledged that she executed the same.

Witness my hand and official seal. [SEAL]

HELEN M. SNOW,

Notary Public in and for said County and State.

My commission expires June 12, 1955.