Executive Order 2813

By virtue of the authority vested in me by "An Act to define, regulate, and punish trading with the enemy, and for other purposes", approved October C, 1917, known as the "Trading with the enemy act", I hereby make the following orders, rules and regulations.

(1) Definitions

(a) The word "person", as used herein, shall be deemed to mean an individual, partnership, association, company, or other unincorporated body of individuals, or corporation or body politic.

(b) The word "enemy", as used herein (including subsequent definitions) shall be deemed to mean either an "enemy" or "ally of enemy", as the case may be.

(c) The words "right", "title", "interest", "estate", "power", and "authority", of the enemy, as used herein, shall be deemed to mean respectively such right, title, interest, estate, power, and authority of the enemy as may actually exist and also such as might or would exist if the existing state of war had not occurred, and shall be deemed to include respectively the right, title, interest, estate, power and authority in law or equity or otherwise of any representative of or trustee for the enemy or other person claiming under or in the right of, or for the benefit of, the enemy.

(d) Any requirement made by the Alien Property Custodian pursuant to Section 7, subsection "c" of the "Trading with the enemy act" may be known as and called a demand and will be hereinafter referred to as a demand.

(2) Demands Pursuant to Section 7 Subsection "c"

(a) The Alien Property Custodian may make demand for the conveyance, transfer, assignment, delivery, and payment of any money or other property owing or belonging to or held for, by, on account of, or on behalf of or for the benefit of an enemy not holding a license granted by me or in the exercise of my power and authority, which the Alien Property Custodian after investigation, shall determine is so owing or so belongs or is so held, together with every right, title, interest, and estate of the enemy in and to such money or other property and every power and authority of the enemy thereover, including (but without limiting the generality of the foregoing) the power and authority to affirm, ratify, approve, revoke, repudiate or disapprove, in whole or in part. and at any lime or times, any power, agency, trust or other relation at the time existing, and also any act or omission theretofore done in the exercise of or pursuant to any power, agency, trust or other relation which the enemy could or might lawfully revoke, repudiate, disaffirm, affirm, ratify or approve, and also including (but without limiting the generality of the foregoing) the power and authority to direct, supervise, and control the future exercise of any power, agency, trust or other relation over such Money or other property to the extent that the enemy could or might lawfully direct, supervise, and control the same. Or the Alien Property Custodian may qualify or limit any such demand in such manner to such extent as he may in any case see fit and (without limiting the generality of the power to qualify and limit demands) he may in any case demand all or only such power and authority over the money or other property as he may see fit without demanding any conveyance, transfer, assignment, delivery or payment of such money or other property or any other right, title, interest, or estate therein or thereto except such as may be included within the power and authority demanded in the particular case over such money or other property.

A demand for the conveyance, transfer, assignment, delivery and payment of money or other property unless expressly qualified or limited shall be deemed to include every right, title, interest, and estate of the enemy in and to the money or other property demanded as well as every power and authority of the enemy thereover.

(b) Notice of any demand made by the Alien Property Custodian may be given to any person who, alone or jointly with others, may hold or have the custody or control of or may be exercising any right, power, or authority in or over or may be performing any duty concerning the money or other property mentioned in the demand; and, in any notice given, the Alien Property Custodian may require of the person notified the performance of any act or thing within the power of the person notified which may be necessary or proper to make the demand fully effective, or to establish proper acknowledgment, recognition, or evidence of the right, title, interest, and estate of the Alien Property Custodian in and to such money or other property and of the power and authority of the Alien Property Custodian thereover, and it shall be the duty of any person so notified to perform any act or thing so required. Such notice may be given in person or by mail.

(c) When demand shall be made and notice thereof given, as hereinbefore provided, such demand and notice shall forthwith vest in the Alien Property Custodian such right, title, interest, and estate in and to and possession of the money or other property demanded and such power or authority thereover as may be included within the demand, and the Alien Property Custodian may thereupon proceed to administer such money and other property in accordance with the provisions of the "Trading with the enemy Act" and with any orders, rules, or regulations heretofore, hereby, or hereafter made by me or heretofore or hereafter made by the Alien Property Custodian.

(3) Powers of Administration

(a) The Alien Property Custodian may appoint and clothe with necessary power and authority such agents, bailees, and attorneys in fact as he may find to be necessary or proper to carry out the provisions of the "Trading with the enemy act" and the Executive orders, rules, and regulations heretofore, hereby, or hereafter made, and prescribe the duties and fix the compensation of such agents, bailees, and attorneys in fact; and any depositary designated by the Alien Property Custodian may be appointed as such agent, bailee or attorney in fact. And the Alien Property Custodian may require bonds of such agents, bailees and attorneys in fact and fix the penalty and conditions thereof.

(b) The Alien Property Custodian may pay all reasonable and proper expenses which may be incurred in or about securing possession or control of money or other property and in or about collecting dividends interest and other income therefrom, and in otherwise protecting and administering the same. So far as may be, all such expenses shall be paid out of, and in any event recorded as a charge against, the estate to which such money or other property belongs.

(c) The Alien Property Custodian may authorize depositaries designated by him and agents, bailees, and attorneys in fact appointed by him to deduct all expenses authorized or approved by the Alien Property Custodian, including the compensation of such depositaries, agents, bailees, and attorneys in fact, from any moneys collected by them and the payment by them to the Alien Property Custodian or into the Treasury of the United States of the net amount remaining in their hands.

(d) The Alien Property Custodian may exercise any right, power, or authority of the enemy in, to and over corporate stock, shares or certificates representing beneficial interests owing or belonging to or held for, by, on account of, or on behalf of or for the benefit of an enemy, including (1) the right to receive all notices issued by the corporation, unincorporated association, company or trustee which issued such stock, shares or certificates, to the holders or owners of similar stock, shares or certificates, (2) the right to exercise all voting power appertaining to such stock, shares or certificates, and (3) the right to receive all subscription rights, dividends and other distributions and payments, whether of capital or income, declared or made on account of such stock, shares or certificates, regardless of whether or not such stock, shares or certificates be in the possession of the Alien Property Custodian and regardless of whether or not such stock, shares or certificates have been transferred to the Alien Property Custodian upon the books of the corporation, association, company or trustee issuing the same.

The Alien Property Custodian may nominate persons who may, when duly elected or appointed, serve as directors, officers or employees of any corporation whose corporate stock or shares, in whole or in part, are owing or belonging to, or are held for, by, on account of, or on behalf of or for the benefit of an enemy.

The Alien Property Custodian may demand the transfer of corporate stock, shares or certificates representing beneficial interests to be made upon the books of any corporation, unincorporated association, company or trustee, issuing the same, into the name of the Alien Property Custodian or into the name of any depositary designated by the Alien Property Custodian for the account of the Alien Property Custodian, or, in the case of corporate stock or shares, into the name of any other person for the purpose of qualifying such person to serve as a director of the corporation issuing such corporate stock or shares; and it shall be the duty of any corporation, unincorporated association, company, or trustee to comply with such demand when accompanied by the presentation of the certificates which represent such corporate stock, shares or beneficial interests. Provided that corporate stock or shares transferred into the name of any other person than the Alien Property Custodian or a designated depositary shall be indorsed by such person in blank and delivered to and held by the Alien Property Custodian Custodian or by a duly designated depositary.

(e) In respect of moneys, accounts payable, credits, notes or other obligations owing or belonging to or held for, by, on account of, or on behalf of or for the benefit of an enemy, whether the payment or delivery or the mere transfer and assignment thereof be demanded, the Alien Property Custodian may exercise discretion in enforcing payment, granting indulgence, making extension or accepting security, and in exercising any other right, power or authority of the enemy.

(f) The Alien Property Custodian may sell and deliver any commodity or other tangible property which may be perishable or which may in the preservation thereof involve expense. And the Alien Property Custodian may sell and deliver any rights appurtenant to the ownership of corporate stock, shares or certificates of beneficial interests in cases where such rights would lapse unless exercised within a limited time. The Alien Property Custodian may manage, conduct, and operate any business belonging to or held for, by, on account of, or on behalf of or for the benefit of an enemy in cases where the continuation of such business may seem to be necessary to prevent waste or to protect such business. And the Alien Property Custodian may sell or otherwise dispose of such business or any part thereof, or the assets or any part thereof, whenever such sale shall seem to be necessary to prevent waste or to protect such business. And in the management, operation, conduct, sale or other disposition of such business the Alien Property Custodian may exercise every right, power and authority of the enemy.

(g) In cases of liquidation of an estate belonging to a partnership, association or unincorporated company in which an enemy may have an interest, the Alien Property Custodian may exercise every right, power, and authority of the enemy, including the right, power, and authority to sell the interest of the enemy in the event such sale seems necessary to prevent waste or to protect such interest.

(h) All sales made by the Alien Property Custodian may be conducted privately or publicly, with or without advertisement, and on such terms and conditions as to the Alien Property Custodian may seem proper.

In all cases of sales made by the Alien Property Custodian, all reasonable expenses incurred in and about such sales shall be deducted from the proceeds and the net amount remaining paid into the Treasury of the United States.

(i) The Alien Property Custodian is authorized to exercise any power conferred upon him by any license issued by me or in the exercise of the power and authority conferred upon me under the "Trading with the enemy Act" wherever such license involves any act or thing concerning any money or other property owing or belonging to or held for, by, on account of, or on behalf of or for the benefit of an enemy.

(4) Statutory Powers of the Alien Property Custodian

Nothing herein contained is intended, nor shall anything herein contained be construed, to limit the powers conferred upon the Alien Property Custodian by the "Trading with the enemy Act."

(5) Deposit and Investment of Moneys Received by the Alien Property Custodian

There shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States, through the office of the Secretary of the Treasury—

(a) Any and all moneys (including checks and drafts payable on demand) paid to or received by the Alien Property Custodian pursuant to the "Trading with the enemy Act";

(b) Any and all moneys (including checks and drafts payable on demand) collected or received by the Alien Property Custodian, as dividends or interest or income that may become due upon any stocks, bonds, notes, time drafts, time bills of exchange, or other securities or property held by the Alien Property Custodian or by any depositary or depositaries designated as provided in said Act for the account of the Alien Property Custodian.

(c) Any and all moneys collected as the proceeds of any and all maturing obligations held by the Alien Property Custodian or by any such depositary or depositaries for the account of the Alien Property Custodian; and

(d) Any and all moneys paid to or received by the Alien Property Custodian as the proceeds of any sale or sales, made at any time pursuant to such rules and regulations as the President shall prescribe, of any and all property or rights which shall come into the possession of the Alien Property Custodian in pursuance of the provisions of said act:

Provided, however, That the Alien Property Custodian may fix stated periods, not longer than quarter-yearly, for accounting by depositaries, agents, bailees, and attorneys in fact of all moneys received by them, and for the payment thereof by such depositaries, agents, bailees, and attorneys in fact to the Alien Property Custodian, who shall forthwith pay the same into the Treasury of the United States, as provided above, and that checks and drafts payable on demand received by the designated depositaries in payment of dividends, interest and income property held by or for the account of the Alien Property Custodian may be collected by such depositaries for the account of the Alien Property Custodian, but that all other checks and drafts payable on demand shall be forthwith deposited by the Alien Property Custodian in the Treasury of the United States, as provided above.

Any and all moneys so deposited in the Treasury of the United States, as herein provided, as well as all moneys, if any, which may be paid to the Treasurer of the United States, as provided in section 12 of said act, and all interest, dividends or other income, if any, in respect of any property conveyed, transferred, assigned or delivered to the Treasurer of the United States, as provided in said section 12, shall be credited by the Treasurer of the United States to the Secretary of the Treasury "for account of the Alien Property Custodian."

Any and all money so deposited in the Treasury of the United States, as herein provided, together with any interest or income received from the investment thereof, shall be subject to withdrawal by the Secretary of the Treasury for the purpose of making any payment or payments pursuant to the provisions of said act, and, until so withdrawn, may be invested and reinvested, from time to time, by the Secretary of the Treasury in United States bonds or United States certificates of indebtedness. The bonds and certificates of indebtedness, in which such moneys shall be so invested, shall be held by the Secretary of the Treasury for account of the Alien Property Custodian, subject to the provisions hereof and of said act and to such further orders, rules or regulations as may, from time to time, be prescribed by me.

(6) Amendments and Modifications of Prior Executive Orders

All other Executive orders heretofore made are hereby amended and modified to such extent as may be necessary to conform with the provisions hereof.

Woodrow Wilson 

The White House,

26 February, 1918.

Notes

See Related

• Executive Order 2645, June 22, 1917;
• Executive Order of August 21, 1917
• Executive Order of September 7, 1917;
• Executive Order 2729-A, October 12, 1917;
• Executive Order 2770, December 7, 1917;
• Executive Order 2796, January 26, 1918;
• Executive Order 2801, February 6, 1918

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).