The Portland daily press., 1900-06-23
PASSPORTS IN EUROPE.
Russia and Turkey the Only Countries
Requiring Them.

NEAOAh taAC ShtNoSC AtNVsfJ
Passports are not required In Europe, p"
said Mr.. Hunt, chief Of thu passport
bureau of the department of state. THAT
Is TO say, passport Is not needed to
secure admission to any Of the countries
except Russia and Turkey. Should the
tourist intend to remain at any particu-
lar place on the continent for long
time, should he intend to take up tenn
porary residence or engaged lin business,
for instance, then he is called upon TO es-
tabllsh his identity, and this can best be
done by means Of passport. The present
passport is not the old passport Of inter-
national law. That was a safe conduct to
man, with permission to go through a
country, given by the ruler Of that coun-
try. 1t then became q paper given by a
sovereign TO person about to enter upon
voyage, requesting the sovereigns Of the
countries to be visited to permit him to
enter. The language used in our pass
ports now Is TO let the person tozwhom It
is issued pass freely and to give him all
lawful aid and protection
las matter of fact, the American pass
to travel this country, as a passport has
never been required here, except in brief
periods and limited areas during war
times. The passports which are being
issued in such large numbers now are
certificates of American citizenship and
an evidence of the person who holds 1t to
the right OF American protection. The
only real passports, in. the old inter-
national law sense, that the department
of state has ever issued, were sent TO Mr..
Polo, the Spanish minister, and Lord
Sackyille, the British minister. They
were addressed to officers Of the United
states, giving safe conduct to the bearers
and were merely formality, having no
weight at all, because anybody Is free to
travel In the United States so long as he
does not violate the law. Occasionally a
foreign minister about TO go away on
leave asks for and receives from the de-
partment one of these safe conducts, but
they are rare and have not numbered three
In three years.
"rhe ordinary passport issued by other
governments Is similar to that which we
give our citizens, both in wording and
purpose. Some foreign countries, before
recognizing the validity of "a passport,
require that wise be affixed, denoting
that IL has been examined and is anthem
tic.
1.-The wise In some cases must be at
tached in the country where the passport
is issued, by "a diplomatic or consular
officer OF the government requiring 1t;
sometimes simply by such officer any
where, and then again, ut times, at the
frontier OF the country to which admis-
sion is sought Should an American citi-
zen, either native or natlralized, re-
quire passport or Identification while
abroad helhas the right TO call upon the
nearest American diplomatic or consular
officer for it.
ut is safe for an American citizen to
visit any country Of Europe, provided he
has not violated the laws in any of them.
In those nations where military service
is required of subjects native emigrat-
ing to the United States and taking up
citizenship here Is free to return, provid-
ed he has not been summoned to perform
the service at the time he departed; but
no naturalized citizen can return to his
mother country with impunity. II he
violated any of the laws, deserted from
the army, etc, he will probably be ap.
pretended by the parent government upon
his return, and the passport will not pro
tect him, because man cannot avoid
punishment for the infringement of the
laws of one country by becoming citizen
of another. Russia, Turkey and, in a
less degree, Italy and Switzerland, adj
here TO the doctrine of perpetual alleg-
lance. Switzerland and Italy do not COM
monty assert 1t against subjects who have
become naturalized citizens of the United
States, The department of state has had
prolonged correspondence protesting
against the attitude of Turkey and Rus
sia, but has been unable SO far to secure
the desired concessions.
"Our laws, you know, do not extend
beyond the jurisdiction OF this govern
ment, and while we may by statute pro-
claim the right of expatriation We cannot
enforce 1t in either Russia or Turkey.
The car of Russia and the sultan of Iur-
key, when our citizens enter their do
mains, have to be consulted concerning
this divine right The tendency of all
modern international intero purse is in
favor of its recognition; but that will do
one little good should he be arrested in
Russia or Turkey and thrown into Jail,
There he may, it is true, reflect upon his
divine right and also upon his actual
incarceration. As matter of fact,
neither Russia nor Turkey carries its
power OF an extreme. 1t frequently hap
pens that naturalized citizen returning
TO his home in either country is appre-
hended and thrown into prison. Things
are made uncomfortable for him for u
while, and he is subsequently released
with a warning. His experience is IA
sufficient lesson to warn others never to
return, and thus the purpose of the car
and the sultan is accomplished"