Memorandum for General Ansell from the Judge Advocate General - January 14, 1918
Transcript
EHC-AWB. January 14, 1918. Memorandum for General Ansell. A few days ago you addressed to me a forceful memorandum on the question of appraisement of requisitioned properties of all kinds and the necessity of making prompt provision as to the appointment of appraisers. Shortly thereafter the Secretary of War asked me to give my personal attention to the same subject and spoke with appreciation of the efforts which you had made to the same end. The matter also came up in the War Council and there is a disposition, I think, everywhere to get speedy action. In the War Council the tentative view was expressed that until we had a list of properties already requisitioned by the War Department and by agencies operating under the War Department or the Council of National Defense, we could hardly judge as between the two methods of (a) a central board of appraisers advised by experts, and (b) individual bodies of appraisers for each particular seizure or each particular class of seizures. The Chief of Staff volunteered to furnish this information. Yesterday he came to me and asked me if I would not formulate the request. I told him that I would talk to you again with reference to what had already been done in the way of such a call, the response thereto, and what might be necessary in the way of an additional call in order to elicit a complete list of already accomplished seizures and seizures which are contemplated. I have in mind, of course, the National Defense Act, covering the
Transcript
by encouraging the production, conserving the supply and controlling the distribution of food products and fuels, approved August 10, 1917, and particularly sections 10, 12 and 25; also the Urgent Deficiency Act approved October 16, 1917, covering proving ground; also the Naval Appropriation Act of August 29, 1917, in so far as it relates to war precedences and preferences for troops and materials of war on transportation systems; also the general power of requisitioning property in time of war which inheres in the Executive Branch independent of statutory authorization. If you are not in agreement with me that the method proposed above is the best and most expeditious way of securing an understanding of the situation and speedy action along the lines of your repeated recommendations, let me know. Judge Advocate General.
Details
| Title | Memorandum for General Ansell from the Judge Advocate General - January 14, 1918 |
| Creator | Crowder, Enoch H. |
| Source | Crowder, Enoch H. Memorandum for General Ansell. 14 January 1918. Crowder, Enoch H. (1859-1932), Papers, 1884-1942. C1046. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO. |
| Description | In this memorandum to General Samuel T. Ansell, Judge Advocate General Enoch H. Crowder wrote about the question of appraisement of requisitioned properties and the appointment of appraisers. In the memorandum, Crowder listed several Acts that he had to reference in the affair. This document is part of a collection compiled by Enoch Herbert Crowder, the Edinburg, Grundy County, Missouri native who served as Judge Advocate General. Crowder devised the Selective Service Act in 1917 which drafted America's forces during World War I. |
| Subject LCSH | Crowder, E. H. (Enoch Herbert), 1859-1932; Ansell, Samuel Tilden, 1875-1954 |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | C1046 |
| Contributing Institution | The State Historical Society of Missouri |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the State Historical Society of Missouri: 1020 Lowry Street, Columbia, Missouri, 65201-7298. (573) 882-7083. |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Date Original | January 14, 1918 |
| Language | English |