GERMANS AT LARGE.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 3023, 18 August 1916, Page 1

GERMANS AT LARGE.

AND AT WORK. 400 FIRMS STILL DOING BUSINESS. London, June 29. In addition to tho 15,799 Germans and Austrians at large in London, 6450 others are at liberty throughout the country, making a total of 22,249. This was admitted by Mr Herbert Samuel yesterday in the House of Commons.

Major Hunt asked why 400 German firms were still allowed to do business in this country, only 200 having beep wound up by the Government in two years.

"The work of eliminating enemy interests in businesses carried on in this country is proceeding with all possible, rapidity," replied Mr Harcourt. "It will be realised that each case must necessarily receive close investigation in order thot injury to British interests may he, minimised. In the meantime, all the more important businesses not dealt with in the above manner have been placed under supervision, and steps are being taken to extend supervision to the remainder."

Tho Deutsche Bank operations iv London were the subject of a question by Mr Joynson-Hicks, who called attention to the recent statement by the French Minister of Commerce that this bank is preparing for a trade onslaught upon allied countries after the war, and asked if it is desirable still to leave its London agency in existence with German, cleriss.

"I am informed," said the Home Secretary, "that the operations which the London agency of the Deutsche Bank has been permitted to carry on under the supervision of Sir William Plendcr are those of getting in outstanding assets, discharging liabilities to British, allied, and neutral creditors, and vesting securities in the hands of the Public Trustee. They have necessitated the continued employment of some of the original staff of the agency. The number of alien enemies employed has been steadily Tcduced from time to time as the work proceeded. It was 195 at the outbreak of war, and it is now ten. J have every hope that a further reduction may be made almost at once." ■Sir H. Dalziel asked how many persons of German extraction were employed ot tbe War Office in the Intelligence Department. Mr Tennent: Assuming my right hon. friend is referring to two generations, the answer is two. The gentlemen I have in contemplation are both the sons of naturalised British subjects, who were naturalised before the birth of the persons concerned. One i.s a member of this House. Ono of them has a grandfather who was a German.