This is the case of Luther v. Sagor. British citizen Luther used to run the timber business in Soviet Russia. On June 20, 1918, the Russian Soviet Government allegedly issued a decree stating, among other things. That the Russian Federative Republic was the owner of all mechanical sawmills operated by limited or private companies with a capital of more than 1,000,000 roubles. And all woodworking facilities outfitted with such machinery.