The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-03
RIGHT IN
 FOREIGN RESIDENCE
Argentine Proposition to Sec
 ond Hague Conference
QUESTION OF PERMANENCY
May Be 5roaohed at an Early Stage of Conference-compIaints of American Citiens as to
 Rights.

Washington, D. C., June 2-The Argen- tine proposal which is to be laid before the approaching second Hague conference looking to the holding of third inter- national conference in Buenos Ayres. in 1910, will, it Is expected, result in bring ing the second conference abruptly face to face with the American proposition to give the conference permanency and pro- vide for periodical gatherings If Indeed that subject Is not preached at an earlier stage in the proceedings. The fact Is that some of the great powers have been dragged into the second conference uu- willingly by force of opinion and are be- lieved to be strongly averse to binding themselves to participate In continuous round Of meetings at which they would be constantly confronted with the danger of having to discussaor even vote upon deli cate International questions that they would much rather leave untouched.
 The Argentine proposition has not yet been formally brought to the attention of the state department. But it is said to be the purpose of the conference to en- deavor to secure an international agree ment defining uniformly the right of a citizen of one nation to domlclle in an- other nation and the extent of his Iia- bility to the demands upon him by the government of the country in which he has taken up his residence.
 Vexed questions growing out of the com plaints of American citizens resident in South and Central America that their rights as American citizens have been vio- lated by the local officials are the basis for large portion of the diplomatic cor fespondence of the state department at Washington every year And the trouble IS not entirely confined to the western hemisphere, for many complications arc occurring with European governments whenever an American Is sought to be conscripted 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 10 minimize the evil of unregulnted residence abroad by providing In the passport act enacted at the recent session that any American citizen who resides for moro than two years in the country of his na- uvity in the case of a naturalzed citizen, or for five years in the case of a native American, shall be deemed to have expa- triated himself and cannot claim the pro- lection of the United States.
 Such Americans are usually unwelcome Vlsitors. They strenuously object to pay ing forced loans; refuse to render mil- tary service and by Haunting their many exemptions before the eyes of the natives cause much dissatisfaction among the of- ficials. The state department has been inclind to the view that there should be some means if imposing upon such people fair degree of responsibility to one gov ernment or the other; If they are living in foreign country upon an income de- rived from that country and are without intention of returning to America, to re- side, 1t Is believed they should be passed over to the sovereignty of their adopted country. In this opinion there is no dis position to withhold protection to Amer jeans who are engaged in business in for eign countries as the representatives of home traders, and manufacturers, but rather to treat upon their merits the fdlers and those who are spending in- comes abroad and engaged in permanent business relations of their own in for eign countries. Therefore It Is probable that the Argentine proposition will have the support of America.