Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-23
MANTLE OF PROTECTION
The Status of Naturalizsd Americans in
Armenia.
Law and Practice as to Passports
The House Committees Reso-
luton of Sympathy.

The President sent message to the
Senate today transmitting a report from
the Secretary OF State in response 10
resolution inquiring whether naturalized
citizens of the United States of Armenian
birth are allowed to visit Turkey: whether
United States passports held by them are
recognized by the Turkish government:
whether families of such citizens are al
| lowed to leave Turkey and come to the
United States, and whether such natural
lied citizens have the same rights and
protection in Turkey as have naturalized
citizens of Great Britain, France, Ger
many or Russia.
Secretary Olney says that Turkish gov
ernment claims the right to exclude from
the Ottoman territories, or to deport in
case they be found therein, naturalized cit
liens of the United States of Armenian
birth, who have become such naturaHZed
citizens without imperial consent since the
year 1869. This right is claimed in exercise
of a prerogative of sovereignty rs an ex-
ecutive measure in regard to aliens, whose
presence in the empire may be deemed
prejudicial to the public interest Its en-
forcement in regard to such persons has
not been opposed, nor has remonstrance
been made save in the case OF arrest or
punitive proceedings against the parties on
the ground of their having become cit-
zens of tha United States without imperial
permission.
Passports Recognized.
United States passports, held by per-
sons SO situated, are recognized by the
Turkish authorities as evidence Of the fact
of naturalization and citizenship, but the
recognition SO afforded does not prejudice
the exercise of the sovereign right of ex-
clusion or expulsion for the causes stated.
Aid of the Minister.
"The good offices of The United States
minis err says Secretary 0lney, '-are uni
formly eAerted on all proper occasions to
assist the emigration of such persons, upon
permission properly secured from the Turk
ish authorities, and when funds have been
assured to pay the journey, he has assisted
their departure. He has likewise assisted
the coming to the United States of the
| wives of citizens of Armenian origin, who.
being in this country at or subsequent to
the naturalization of their husbands, have
returned to Turkey; and of the children of
such citizens born abroad subsequent to
the naturalization of the father or "ho
may have acquired American citizenship
by actual presence in the United Sta,es
subsequent to the fathers naturalization,
and in such instances, permission tor the
families to emgrate has been demanded as
of right These latter instances, however,
are relatively few in number, compared
with the instances in which good offices
have been eXerted with varying success to
procure the emigration from the Turkish
dominions of the kindred of q naturdlized
Armenian. including the parents, brothers
and sisters, and even relatives or remoter
degree, who could not become citizens of
the United States, except by individual
naturalization.
THE United States minister at CONSTANT
nople has heretofore reported that natural
fzed Armenian, or other Turkish subjects
Of Great Britain. France Germany or Rus
sia, returning to the jurisdiction OF Turkey
are not claimed by their adopted govern
mentS as citizens, nor protected as such,
except upon proof that their change of al
IatrIn hnc haa,
nlzed, by the government of Turkey"
Before the House Committee.
Contrary to expectation today's meeting
of the House foreign affairs committee
did not deal with any one of the several
delicate questions before the committee ex-
cept the Armenian massacres In response
to the overwhelming demand from relg-
lous and other organiZa tons resolutions in
| some respects patterned after those before
the Senate We're adopted, and Mr.. ouigg
was directed to report them to the House.
Nothing was done about Ambassador
Bayard'S two speeches, because Mr. Dins-
more of the subcommittee in charge of that
matter asked for a poStponement.
The committee adopted the diplomatic
and consular appropriation BILL which,
however does not make any decided
changes from last years allowances. An
other second secretary Of legation for Mex
leo is allowed, the consulate at Swansea is
made a salaried office at s., 800 the consuls
at Weimar. Trinidad, Glauchau, Curacao
| are salaried at 5000, those at Limoges,
Freiburg, Hull and St. Johns at 81, 500 A
consulate is to be established at Chung
King, in China, salary, 5000, as the city
is in the district where demonstrations
have been made against foreigners and a
center of American missionary work.
Interpreters i'm Turkey.
Interpreters are provided for the con-
sulates at Erzeroum and Kharpoot, al
10 hoS fn
ognize the United States consuls accredited
to those posts the interpreters may not be
needed. There is allowed $1,000 for the
publication of the intercontinental railway
commission and small sum for the share
of expenses falling upon the United States
from the Brussels conventions of 1890 to
suppress the slave trade.