New-York tribune., 1907-06-03
CITIZEN RIGHTS ABROAD
Important Question to Come Before
HAGUE Conference.

Washington June 2.-The Argentine proposal
which Is to be laid before the approaching sec
| ond Hague conference looking to the holding OF
third international conference in Buenos
Ayres in 1910, w it is expected, result IN brlns-
ing the second conference abruptly face to face
with the American proposition 10 give the con-
ference permanency and provide for periodic
gatherings. If indeed. that subject Is not
broached at an earlier stage in the proceedings
In that event there is certain 10 be some cleFet
diplomatic fencing and more or less animate"
discussion. For the fact is that some Oh lhe
great powers have been dragged into the sec
ond conference unwillingly by force OF pubic
opinion and are believed 10 be strongly a'eiSe
! 70 binding themselves to participate In a con-
tinuous round Of meetings at Whlch 'hey "ou''
| be constantly confronted with the danger OF
HAVING 70 discuss or even vote upon delicate IN
ternational questions that they would much
rather leave untouched. Such, for instance
was the proposition to limit international arifa-
ments. which came near causing the aod'luo"
,or+ of the second conference even after all
the invitations had been accepted 1t may rea-
sonablv be apprehended that in connection with
the plea for a conference in 1910 the whole sub
ject of creating permanent conference Wl'h
set periods for meeting will be under oonsidera-
tion.
The Argentine proposition has not yet been
formally brought to the attention of the State
Department although It has without doubt been
alluded TO in the course Of the talks Whlch
Secretary Root is having with the Latin-AmerI-
can representatives In Washington. In briet, II
IS said to be the purpose of the conference 10
endeavor to secure an international agreement
defining Uniformly the right of a citizen of one
nation to domicile in another nation and the
extent OF his liability to the demands upon him
by the government of the country in which he
has taken up his residence
This subject is one that has of late attracted
much notice at the hands of publcists 1t
would doubtless have been urged by the Argen-
tine government a proper number for the
programme of the approaching second confer
ence at The Hague had II not happened that
that programme was practically closed before
the project had taken definite form. It might
have been presented for optional discussion In
addition to the regular programme in the
case of the propositions for limitation Of arma-
ment and the consideration of the Drago Doc
trine, but it evident that there would noc
be sufficient time for deIiberatlon. In view of the
number of important subjects and the time
limits upon the life of the second conference So
the Argentine delegates were instructed to take
the course indicated and ask for another con-
ference in 1910
Nexed questions growing out Of the complaints
trail America that their rights as American citi-
zens have been violated by the local officials are
the basis for a large portion of the diplomatic
correspondence of the State Department at
Washington every year. And the trouble is not
entirely confined 10 the Western Hemisphere.
for many complications are occurring with Eu-
ropean governments wherever an American is
sought TO be Conscrpted into the army or is
subjected to the operations of local taxation and
other demands. At the instance of the State
Department Congress has sought to minimize
the evil Of unregulated residence abroad by pro-
viding in the passport act enacted at the recent
session that any American citizen who resides
for more than TWO years in the country OF his
nativity in the case of a naturalized citizen, or
for five years in the case of a native American
living abroad. shall be deemed to have expatri-
ated himself and may not claim the protection
of the government of the United States
In South America and IN Central America as
well such Americans are generally unwelcome !
visitors They strenuously object 10 paying |
forced loans, refuse to render military service /
and by Haunting their many exemptions before I,
the eyes of the natives cause much dissatisfac- /
ton among the officials. The State Department I,
has been inclined TO the view that there should .
be some means Of imposing upon such persons /!
a lair degree OF responsibility 10 one govern /
lneht or the other If they are living I'm for (
elgn country upon an income derived from that /
country. and are without intention of returning /
10 America To reside, II is believed they should /
be passed over to the sovereignty of their /
adopted country. In this opinion there is no dis /
position 10 withhold protection to Americans /
who are engaged in business in foreign coun- /
tries as the representatives Of home traders and |
manufacturers, but rather to treat upon their J
merits the idlers and those who are spending (
incomes abroad and engaged In permanent bust |
ness relations of their own I'm foreign countries
Therefore, IL is probable that, looking to its I
merits alone and without reference to the effect !
il may have upon the other and larger subjects |
of IA permanent conference, the Argentine prop-
ositton will have the support OF America