New-York tribune., 1907-07-09
EYpATRTATES-

News comes from Germany that many Ger
man-Americans who have gone back TO the
Eatherland to live are much disquieted at the
prospect OF losing their American citizenship.
Congress passed last March an expatriation
law, which, It is said, has alarmed and en-
bRrrassed those who want to be Americans In
name and aliens IN fact. This law and the
naturalization law Of the preceding session were
intended to cure gross abuses which had re-
suited from the failure Of the government to
define citizenship precisely enough or to guard
intelIgently the processes OF naturalization.
We had allowed a primitive statute passed In
the early days Of the Republic TO stand unal-
tered, anG had endured system by which the
states shared the right Of naturalization with
the FEDERAL government. Each state following
its own ideas and keeping its own records
startling Inconsistencies IN practice developed
and fraud was made common and easy The
new naturalization law provided q uniform
method and creeted a central agency TO collate
and supervise al naturalization records.
II was found necessary. however. not only to
enforce c uniform rule OF Qualification for cit
szsnship, but TO relieve the federal government
Of responsibility for the actions Of merely con-
suuctive citizens claiming fits protection. Under
the old loose system an alien could take out
papers here, or have them taken out In his
name and then return 20 his native country and
claim immunity from civic obligations. Thou
sands Of these immunity seekers have made a
convenience OF our easygoing system Of admin
istration and have kept US In hot water by de-
manding protection which they never earned
To end this scandal OF traffic in American pass
ports and the perversion OF American citizen
ship Congress passed the supplementary law re-
stricting the issue Of passports and defining cit
izenship so as 10 exclude from our protection
merely nominal and reminiscent Americans.
If a naturalized citizen wants to enjoy his
rights and privileges he should be willing to
do something TO show the continuity Of his rela-
tons with and interest In bis adopted country.
He should not be allowed to claim all the ben
eAts aHa escape aH the obligations ef his pre-
fessed allegiance Congress, therefore, wisely
laid down the rule that when any naturalized
citizen shall have resided for two years in the
foreign state from which he came IT shall be
presumed that he has ceased to be an Amer
'icau citizen. and his place OF general abode
'shall be deemed his place OF residence during
''the said years" This is a sensible and prac-
fical rule, and that ii might work no hardship
in exceptional instances the stipulation was
added that such presumption could be overcome
by the presentation OF satisfactory evidence of
continued active and genuine citizenship to a
diplomatic or consular officer in accordance with
such regulations as the State Department might
prescribe. The German-Anericans who have
gone back TO Germany to live can easily retain
their citizenship If they entitled In equity to
retain it. But If they have really lost touch
with America end American life-if they have
in fact, eEpatriated themselyes-they would do
better To be repatriated as German subjects
We want no hcket~of-leave Americans, who use
our cit1ze1lshiD oniy'as an accident policy as