Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1901-05-18
NEWPASSPORT RULES
Warnings Issusd By State Depart
msnt 70 Holdass.
Means q P~psventfng rOssegn-Born
Anss~sean Cffisens froa Ran
nsng Into Hanger while Via
iSHag Thsfr Nehvs LaaaA

adopted a new policy in issuing pass
ports TO American citizens of foreign
birth. which is designed to prevent
some of the arrests of those who here
after return to the country of their
origin, reports the Washington Star.
Heretofore it has been the practice
to grant passports to all Americans
who proved their citizenship and allow
them to go wherever they chose, with
out any warning as to the risks they
might run, but, according to the OFF,
cial explanation of the innovation it
has been found that many people of
foreign birth suppose that the mere
acquisition of American citizenship
and the security of an American pass
port 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
other country is still liable to punish
ment on his return for an offense COM
mitted before his emigration, and in
some countries emigration and nat
uralization without permission are
themselves offenses.
The state department has taken a
simple way of preventing Americans
from unwittingly running into danger
by preparing a series of notices which
it now sends with all passports to ap-
plicants of foreign birth. 1t is brief,
and tells him in words that anyone
can comprehend just what the laws
and regulations that may affect him
are. AS the notices relate to the pol
icy of foreign countries, they are not
official, but they are believed to be cor
rect, and have been compiled in the
department, after consultation with
American ministers abroad.
In announcing this important
change in its practice the department
declares that no departure is intended
from the attitude Of dissent of this
government from the policy of certain
foreign governments in their treat
ment of their former subjects and cit
liens, and the department has, from
abundance of caution, so instructed
American diplomatic agents abroad.
The new plan is almost identical with
that of England, and those chiefly af-
fected by it are natives of Germany,
Russia, France, Austria and Turkey,
although all foreign-born American
citizens are more or less interested
except former British subjects, outside
of native Indians, Chinese and Japan
csc. to whom passports cannot be is
sued. AS indicating the scope of the
policy, the following extracts are
made from the notice to American
citizens formerly subjects of Germany
who contemplate returning to that
country"
"A German who emigrates before
he is II years old, or before he has
been actually called upon t o appear
before the military authorities, may
after a residence in the United States
of five years and after due natural
i~zation, return to Germany on a visit,
but his right to remain in his for
mer home is denied by Germany, and
he may be expelled after a brief So
journ, or the ground that he left
Germany merely to evade military
service. 1t is not safe for a person
who has once been expelled to re-
urn to Germany without obtaining
permission to do so in advance. A
person who has completed his mill
tary service and has reached his thir-
fx--frc{ xosr and hoannpo an Ap,nan
citizen may safely return to Ger
many.
"The treaties between the United
Stats and the German states pro-
vide that German subjects who have
become citizens of the United States
shall be recognized as such upon their
return to Germany if they resided in
the United States five years. But a
n~aturaIized American of German birth
is liable to trial and punishment upon
return to Germany for IN offense
against German law committed before
emigration, saving always the limi-
tations of the laws of Germany.
If he emigrated while in service or
while on leave of absence for a linn
tied time; if, having an unlimited
leave or being in7the reserve. he.
emigrated after receiving a call into
service, or after a public proclama-
ton requiring his appearance or aft
err war broke out, he Is liable to pun
ishment on return.
"Alsace-Lorraine having become a
part of Germany since u natural
ization treaties with the other Ger
man states were negotiated, Amer
lean citizens, natives of that prov
ince, under existing circumstances,
may be subjected to inconvenience
and possible detention by the Ger
man authorities if they return with
out having sought and obtained per-
mission to do so from the imperial
government at Strasburg.
"A Frenchman n~aturalized abroad
without the consent of his govern