Evening journal., 1915-06-29
IS
made AN issue
Question Raised If Foreign
or American Law Shall
Govern
|UAL NATIONALITY
SEEMS POSSIBLE

WASHINGTON. June s9.-whether
Be United states is to abide by its
.xn laws on naturalization and citi-
nship or give preference to those
foreign nations is a question now
Gore the State Department, and a
batter of special interest in these
Ines of international complications.
5nree authorities have become involv-
1 in debate on the subject. Senator
henry Cabot Lodge and Col Theodore
E,osevelt. advocating the recognition
n The American laws. and Secretary
81 state Robert Lansing at present
#aning toward observance of foreign
$1s
H. a nutshell. the question, as cpl
#mized BY Colonel Roosevelt Is
s. When is an American an American
which Secretary Lansing replies
1T an American frequently has
znai nationality" while Richard W.
d 0urney. Jr.. chief of the Bureau Of
"a izenship. uses the phrase 'alter-
ISL e nationality"
Hrhe question was first brought up
%# ough the case of =. A. Lelong, Of
~ Orleans, who was born in the
# tied states Of a French father. In
81 wer to an inquiry as to his status
retary Lansing wrote to Lelong
n t he "was born with a dual ma
&. nality." and therefore the State De-
"a tment could not give assurance
he would not be held liable for
z# performance Of military duty in
s.. .nce. IL he should place himself
the French jurisdiction" In a let
& Of April 2. 1915, Secretary Lans-
N uuoted the French Civil Code, de-
ne as a Frenchman every per-
born Of French parentage, in
SIS. nee or abroad"
W Sc TO Treason Says Roosevelt.
&: Nhereat arose Colonel Roosevelt
z said 1T is dangerously close to
as ason to the United States that
born here OF foreign parentage.
who have served here i'm the mi
III Ia who have voted and held Office
have exercised other rights, be
BY the state Department that If
visit countries where their par
were born they can be seized
< punished for evasion of military
and be made to serve in the
W.
also pointed out that II General
6fz lbals went to Holland or Admirals
n ,fhaus and Schroeder went 70
\! 81 nany they might be seized under
using doctrine
z< untor Lodge was drawn into the
he through his interest IN the
of Ugo de Pratu. VINO was born
X # <oston subsequent 10 his fathers
r falisatlon. but had been forced
the Italian army while studying
s# itecture in italy, Eventually De
was recognized by the State
riment as an American. and the
8 M gican ambassador was instructed
mand his Immediately discharge
rnian. service
# his correspondence with Senator
W on the subject Secretary Lans-
zi{|&% ooh occasion 10 answer rne STRIFE
M Of Colonel Roosevelt ana 20 eN-
his own views. IN both the Le-
3'W and De Prato cases. he said
american fundamental Jaw made
an American citizen. but that
&c had a right TO claim Jelong
z5 the French law No valid claim
Prato. however. could he ad-
ID by Italy because the italian
does not claim him" In neither
e ].8 does the state Department fol-
tthe United States law.
#lng Quotes Decisions.
1<< corroboratlon of the correctness
4 position Lansing cited decisions
" #dihu Root and John Rassett
=. recognizing the existence OF a
# nationality" and also Of Ham
4 5t Fish. when Secretary or state.
's$( 'ne's letter was merely legal
ftlon and did not suggest that
S bate Department is willing Ia
III. policy that a bona fide Ameri-
citizcn possesses rights which
3. abrogated by the raw Of any
M country. Lodge argues as a
man Lansing as a department.
n; Fyer
k its adoption In June. 1914
K {e8 erman nationality law has beer
txle TO diplomatic circles II
4 | neion. Section % providing tha
IS IN citizenship lis not lost b,
i e who. before acquiring foreign
y ,ship. has secured written con
"a; 2f competent authorities in hi
@z* state 10 return 10 MS citizen
5 & according TO Mr.. Flourney, thii
"a that persons NAV acquire
s5z3.S fau citizenship without givin,
cir German citizenship. while
4 D. authorities aver that the pro
was designed for the benefit o
ms residing in countries which
the franchise and the right {,
al property only TO citizens. A
"a nfs. says FlOurney IL makes I
2e for persons 10 hold a "dua
is IT, atty of their own volition and
describes il as an "alternat,
IL 3. 81 ality"
4lded nv Absence.
e hermore. under the German
prsons absent from that countr,
years NAV resume their origi
herman nationality. and thus
pds OF Germans who now arc
PANS may return Ia their frs
nce without formality. n tn,
department recognizes the Ger.
~ in preference to the Ameri
senator Lodge and Colone
= 4 . <eii see IL. the state Depart
pas elected to be governed h,
& rs OF foreign nations. and
a ply probable that both viii
S pmething further 10 say on IN