Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-30

offenders in this respect. Our consul at
Beirut is said to have several hundreds
of ''naturalized Americans" under his
protection. These people after gaining
naturalization here have not always re-
turned to Syria but have FASTENED hence
to Haiti and Santo Domingo, where they
have entered trade immune from Local
taxation.
Ends Passport Abuses.
The American passport now becomes
better guaranty of our governments in
terest in the holder. who is afforded
thereby surer protection against unlawful
molestation. Hitherto passports have
been issued not only by the State De-
partment, but by all Of our embassies and
legations and by a number of our con-
sulates. A person seeking passport for
improper purposes, after being refused at
one of these posts, has often succeeded
in obtaining it at another, and such in
dividuals sometimes obtained successive
passports which for years at a time kept
them supplied with proofs Of citizen
ship" There has been no clearing house,
so to speak, where such cases could be
checked up.
But hereafter regular passports are to
be issued only through the new citizen
ship bureau, which thus becomes this
needed clearing house for information
identifying their holders All passports
cessive numbers. Native citizens apply
ing for them at Our foreign posts must
make affidavit as to their birth. take the
oath Of allegiance and be identified by a
creditable person before receiving them.
A naturalized citizen must do the same,
besides showing his certificate of naturali-
zation or that Of husband or parent
through whom citizenship Is claimed
Each application must be made in dupli-
cate, one copy being filed in the citizen
chi h1,ro xayho ho cSnOrf pnOd f0r
two years and renewable once for two
years longer, will be made out, sealed
with the official seal Of the State De-
partment. signed by Secretary Root and
finally sent to the applicant through the
foreign post whereat he applied.
New Kinds Of Passports.
An emergency passport" new crea-
ton under the new system, will relieve
any Inconvenience which would result
where the applicant for the regular form
has not time to apply to Washington. It
Is issued only for a specific journey and
states that it is given to the holder ''in
order that he may proceed to Jerusalem
for example. 1t Is good for six months
only and cannot be extended 1t il issued
only to countries where passports are
obligatory and where the local authorities
will not accept one OF the newly provided
Certificates of registration" as evidence
Of citizenship. Emergency passports can
be obtained at any Of our embassies or
legations and at twelve Of our isolated
consulates, such as that at Ads Ababa,
Abyssinia, or that at Tamatave. Madagas-
car.
A new passport for aliens who have
resided here for three years and who
have filed declarations Of intention to be-
come naturalized Americans is also pro-
vided. 1t is limited to six months, is not
renewable and does not entitle the holder
to American protection in the country of
which he was a citizen before coming to
America. The Secretary Of State need
issue this form only ''at his discretion"
Mr.. Hunt really issues all passports on
forms signed by the Secretary and is the
man who actually exercises this discre-
ton. an appeal to the Secretary being of
course allowable. While our interview
was in progress Mr.. Hunt refused such
a passport to an alien of this class who
desired protection to a country which
lately passed a law excluding aliens of
his nationality.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.