The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-24
WARNINGS WITH PASSPORTS.
Notices Given by State Department
to FOreign-Born Citizens.

Notices Given by State department
to FOreign-Born Citizens.
Washington Times.
The state department has just adopted
new policy in issuing passports to
American citizens of foreign birth, which
is designed to prevent some of the ar
rests of those who hereafter return to
the country of their origin.
Heretofore It has been the practice to
grant passports to all Americans who
proved their citizenship and allow them
to go wherever they chose, without any
warning as to the risks they might run,
but according to the official explanation
of the innovation 1t has been found that
many people of foreign birth suppose
that the mere acquisition of American
citizenship and the security of an Amer
lean passport render them immune from
the operation of the laws or regulations
of the country of which. they were for
merly subjects OR citizens, If they re-
turn Such, however, is very far from
being the case In all countries a per-
son who secures naturalization in an
ether country is still liable to punishment
on his return for an offense committed
before his emigration, and in some coun-
tries emigration and naturalization-With-
out permission are themselves offenSes.
The state department has taken sim
pie way of preventing Americans from
:unwittingly running into danger by pre-
pairing series of notices which it now
sends with all passports to applicants of
foreign birth. 1t is brief, and tells him
In words that any one can comprehend
just what the laws and regulations that
may affect him are AS the notices re-
late to the policy of foreign countries,
they are not official, but they are be-
lteved to be correct and have been COM
piled in the department. after eonsulta-l
wi ictn ssl1oy.
In announcing this important change
In it's practice the department declares
that no departure is intended from the
attitude of dissent of this government
from the policy of certain foreign gov
ernments in their treatment OF their for
mer subjects and citizens, and the de-
partment has. from abundance of eau
ton, so instructed American diplomatic
agents abroad. The new plan is almost
Identical with that of England, and those
chiefly affected by it are natives of Ger
many, Russia, France Austria and Tur-
Key, although all foreign-b born American
citizens are more or less interested ex-
cept former British subjects, outside of
native Indians, Chinese and Japanese,
10 whom passports cannot be issued.
AS indicating the scope of the policy,
the Following extracts are made from
the notice to American citizens former
~ subjects of Germany who contemplate
AOCuI lliIlS 10 IndJ country.
"A German who ennigrates before he is
seventeen years old, or before he has
been actually called upon to appear before
the military authorities, may after res
loence IN the United States of five years,
ana after due naturalization, return to
Germany on visit, but his right to re-
main in his former home is denied by
germany, and he may be expelled after
a brief sojourn, on the ground that he
left Germany merely to evade military
service. 1t is not safe for a person who
mas once been expelled to return to Ger
many without obtaining permission to do
SO IN ADVANCE. A person who has COM
pleted ms military service and has reach
ed his thirty-frst year and become an
american citizen may safely return to
Germany.
The treaties between the United States
and the German states provide that Ger
man subjects who have become citizens
OF the United States shall be recognized
as such upon their return to Germany
II they resided in the United States five
years. But a naturaliZed American Of
German birth is liable to trial and pun
1Shment upon return to Germany for an
offense against German law committed
pefore emigration, saving always the Inn
itations of the laws of Germany. If he
emigrated while lin service or ghiie on
leave of absences for a limited time; if
having an unlimited leave or being in
the reserve, he eInigrated after receiving
cali INTO service or after a public proc
lamation requiring his appearance or
after war broke out he is liable to nun
1Shment on return
'Alsace-LorFaine having become pat
of Germany zsiace our naturalization
treaties with ihh other German states
We're negotiated, lSAmerican citizens, ma
t1Ves of that Province, under existing cir
cumstances may fbe subjected to incon-
Ten:ence and possibly detention by the
German authorities If they return with
out having sought and obtained permis-
sion to do so from the imperial govern
or at Strasburg
THE authorities of Wurtemberg re-
quire that the. evidence Of the American
citizenship of a former subject of Wur.
temberg which is furnished. by a pass
port, shall be supplemented by a dizzy
authenticated certificate showing five
years experience in the United States