The evening times., 1897-05-06
GERMANS VISITING HOME
Rights of Naturalized Americans
i'm the Fatherland.
FEW COMPLAINTS ON FILE
Ambassador White Would Prevent
Hardships TO ans.
Military Duty Not Desirable Wis
itors Upon Returning.

The state Department is in receipt of
information from its representatives IN
Germany announcing the issuance of a
circular directing the local auth )rities
ito pay close attention to American clu-
zens of German birth who may visit their
old home. Those Sojouming German
Americans who come under the treaty Of
1868 are TO be Informed that their stay
la the country of their birth can only be
limited one-limited to some weeks or
months, according to the merits OF the
case in question, even though it should
not appear that the party emigrated from
his original country with the intention of
evading his military duties"
1t is a well known fact that for several
years considerable correspondence has been
excha ngcd between the State Department
OF this country and the German aurhori-
ties with respect 20 the status and rights
Of American citizens OF German birth, many
of whom, upon return TO the land Of their
nativity on visit, have been arrested, in
many cases on the charge of failure 10
perform military service, and the inter
vention OF the American ambassador has
been required to effect their release.
The retiring ambassador, MI Uhl, re-
ported 10 the department just before the
change OF the Administration that he was
compelled to apply To the German govern
ment On several occasions for permission
for German-American citizens To remain
in Prussia for a certain length of time.
When Andrew White, the new ambassa-
1, N
eral weeks ago. he fully acquainted him
self with the views of many OF the authori-
ties GA the naturalization question.
He goes to Berlin with a clear view IF
the situation, and with a determination TO
effect a settlement of the question by
putting a stop. if possible, to the hardShlps
that the German government is evidently
determined to inflict upon German-Ameri-
cans.
The Administration does not contend the
right OF Germany 20 eXpel obnoxious aliens,
but it does not believe the arbitrary course
proposed in the German circular should
be taken with respect to German-Ameri-
cans in connection with whom there is no
reasonable cause for expulsion.
Nothing can be done by the authorities
until a test case has arisen as result
of the enforcement of the instructions CON
tainedin the circular, and when 1t does the
department proposes to do what it can TO
get fair treatment for Americans.
With reference to the matter, the Ger
man ambassador to this country, Ba ron
Won Thielmann, said TO a Times reporter
There are two classes of German Ameri-
cans said the ambassador, "those who
have left Germany for the purpose OF evad-
ing military service, and those who have
left their native land for any other reason.
As to the first class, when men leave
Germany to evade military service they
thereby become undesirable citizens, and
it is only natural that their government
should treat them as such
When such men have been away from
Germany five years, whether they have
become naturalized citizens Of the United
States or not, and return to their native
land, the local police authorities quietly
advise them TO leave the country, but no
time is specified for their leaving.
This undesirable class, however. is not
q large one, being only about 2 per cent
of the total number OF immigrants from
GeTmany-an insignificant number.
While there are thousands of German
Americans who return to their native
land, tits very seldom that there are over
haIf-a-doZcn complaints a year received st
the American embassy in Berlin as TO uIl-
desirable German-AmeriCans in Germany.
With regard to the other ClaSs-those who
leave Germany with no idea of evading
military service-it can with truth be said
tnat they constitute the great ma Jority
of emigratiRG Germans.
The ambassador characterized the state
ment that a circular had been issued by
the home government, with view to
cUrtailing the length Of stay I'm Germany
of COMMUNICATIONS generally as 'all
boSh."
He was positive that no law had ever
been promulgated by his government speci-
flying as 10 the length of stay i'm Germany
OF a German-American who did not emf
CRATE TO avoid military service.
He had not learned of the PRONUNCIATION
of a new rule TO that effect.
He explained that the treaty of 1868
had to deal with the undesirable class OF
German americans, and in no way affected
the other class.
Il saw Ambassador White when he was
In Washington" said the baron, land if
he had the object in view of putting a
stop 10 alleged hardships imposed by the
home government on German-America he
said nothing to me on the subject"