-4- balances accrued in Germany during the occupation period) should also be allowed as an admissible claim, but at a lower weighting than property losses. The reparation settlement should be considered as clearing finally all outstanding claims against Germany arising out of the war. 3. Restitution: The following policy recommendations are made: (a) In principle there should be an unlimited obligation on Germany to restore identifiable stolen property. In practice, however, official efforts to locate such property will have to be con- fined to a limited number of categories such as art treasures, securities, machinery, rolling stock et cetera. (b) Looted property should be returned by a Restitution Commission to the Government having jurisdiction over the territory where the property had its situs and not to the former owners indi- vidually. The Commission should not be burdened with the task of deciding disputes with respect to ownership, liens, etc. Such questions, whether intra-national, or involving two or more countries, should be adjudicated in the place from which the property was taken. (c) All property transferred to Germany during the period of German occupation should be presumed to have been transferred under duress and accor- dingly treated as looted property. The British Government has been pressing in the European Advisory Commission for the early establishment of a Restitution Commission to cope with the complex problems of restitution which will arise as soon as enemy territory is occupied to any appreciable extent. This Government has indicated its general approval of the British proposal, subject to certain reservations. The French have also introduced a proposal for restitution into the European Advisory Commission. Their |