Evening journal., 1915-06-15
Immigrants WHO CO
TO WAR MAY RETURN
Naturalized Aliens Who
Fight for Mother Country
Not TO be Barred
AUTHORITY IS
DISCRETIONARY

The following question mas Deen
asked by reader.
If an American citizen who was
an Italian or German or citizen Of
any other nation, goes 20 Europe to
fight for any of the warning coun-
tries, will he be allowed TO land in
the United States in case he is Grip
pled?"
The question touches a very large
class Of cases that may arise. and
indeed are arising; but it is probably
the exact question concerning which
4 the enquirer really wanted informa-
ton The answer TO this question,
8 as stated, is easy; but the question
+ which probably was at the bottom of
E the writer's mind is not so readily
answered.
& "A citizen of the United States con-
+. tinues such, no matter what happens
to him. so long as he does not re-
a nounce his citizenship and take allie
glance to another government He
. is entirely at liberty to do that If he
& likes and the United States is largely
responsible for the fact that most
countries now permit their citizens to
q expatriate themselves.
Cause of the War of 1912.
II needs no especially accurate rec
E Collection of the causes of the War of
& 1912 to bring TO mind that at that
time Great Britain insisted on the
3dcctrine of "once an Englishman, al
& ways an Englishman" and assumed
the right to take sailors off American
vessels and impress them into the
& British navy. despite that they may
have become citizens of the United
States.
The United States objected to that
& doctrine. and fought a war in no
& small part to emphasize its objec-
& tions. The peace which ended that
war did not bring any guarantees OF
the very thing involved, because. as a
r1atter of plain fact, the United
States, high-schOol textbooks to the
contrary Notwithstanding. came out
8 Of that war with.small credit and ex-
zqellent reason to be thankful to its
81 diplomatic agents at Client who Sc
& cured peace on terms not positively
E humiliating to this nation.
England Resigns Claim.
s Many years after that war England
resigned, formally and definitely. her
claim that an Englishman once was
an Englishman always. Today most
3 Of the world recognizes the privilege
of changing citizenship.
Now, concerning the. case of an
american citizen who goes back tc
Europe TO fight in the army of any oi
the countries. He does not dives
himself of his rights as an American
kitten by that fact The only way
& he can divest himself of those rights
Is by forswearing his allegiance L
America and becoming a citizen o
he alien State. Even if he commit,
felony. which costs him his rights
as a citizen. he does not lose his char
q acter as such. Though the crime may
cost MIN. for instance, the right t
vote, IL does not make him any les:
& citizen.
No 0ffense TO BE Soldier.
For the purpose of getting into the
# country at least the rule of "once ar
American citizen, always an Ameri
p ,an" applies. This does not make II
crime or an offense to fight for an.
.Tpther country so long as it does nol
l nvolve disloyalty to this country.
But the case of a person of alieT
birth, resident in the United States
Who goes away to fight and then trie;
o re-enter the States is different
rhe immigration laws must decide it
z8Nhen he first comes in, with gooC
lealth and reasonable assurance o
tot becoming a public charge, he wal
Welcome.
# Perhaps he may have lost a leg oI
q: wo in the war, and come back il
4lch condition that he threatens {,
become a public charge. In tha
% went the immigration laws leav,
discretion under which he may b.
Excluded.
M If before going away he shall havl
IS eclared his intention to become
ne itizen here the chances are that h
will get in. Likewise, if on his re
urn substantial relatives or friend
b an give satisfactory assurances tha
he will not become public charge, h
E eill probably get in
uthOrity is Discretionary.
There is, however, a considerabl
III ange of discretionary authority II
he immigration officials. The hes
s. dvice to give an unnaturalized aliel
to declare his intention of hecom
sng an American citizen before goinl
az way. After that he is likely to b
BILE to get in again. and, above al
4 hings, every alien-born or even ma
ve-born American who goes abroai
III 0 war should equip himself with tn
X roper papers to demonstrate his al
III glance or the fact that he has mad
2 he declaration of intention.
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