The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-03-17
HUAL CITIZENSHIP
~ STRUGGLE CERTAIN
Ry ERNEST q. WALKER.

. WASHINGTON, March 5.-A ROose,
voltian issue over dual citizenship fOr
the forthcoming campaign is being Gu
riOusly nurtured. For several months
there has been a deal Of more or less
sIbteranean activity over il Although
the facts seem to show that Colonel
Roosevelt, while President, was official
" responsible for the same doctrines
10 this connection as President Wilson,
through his secretary of state, has been
the matter that has .besn' peTs silently
evrtloited by Roosevelt aud his intimate
trrsonal and political friends.
The case Of p. A, LeLong, Jr. Of
] ouis aua, has been much featured in
this matter Hundreds of letter have
been written TO the state department
bout Il. Col. John NJ. Parker, the well
nown Progressive Of Louisiana, is said
10 have Instituted the inquiry about
I,eLong's status III March Of last
y ar LeI,ong wrote to the state depart
r'ent. LeLong, born in this rountry of
French parents, his father having been
: = uunatnralized Frenebman, represent
81 himself, as desiring TO visit France.
10 was an American citizen under
American law, but, II develops, accord,
jig to the law of France, Is also Il
E'tizen of France. He wished to know
whether he could be held for military
Z rv.ce in France IL he visited there.
ny Lansing, then solicitor of the de-
partment, .wfote advising aqairst hi
~ ny to France because he 1apneared
~ have been born with dual nation
laIity'.o FEsslP rs 80
Irout-ers Are Warned 80 "
AMI in all these years, Including the
administration of Roosevelt, tie state
department again and again wrote let,
tiers, such as were written to LeLong,
warning inQuirers that If thew went
back to the old country, visiting or
otherw Sc. they took chance of being
drafted for military service. The de-
pnTtment has never admitted that this
could legally he done by France Italy
or two or three other countries, but
simply gave warning.
"If at any time in the futuTe,' ran
letter Of Nav 5 last to LeLong from
the department, "you should find it
necessary TO visit France and should
therc h. n ''s'"I upon the ground that
rou are a French citizen, YOU should
in "orm diplomatic or consular offieer
Of the United States, who womb ro-
port the matter to the department. in
order that it might take such measures
in your hohalf as would seem to be
warranted bv the peculiar facts and cir;
cnmstan""s OF your case. "'"T - ~ ~
Dual Citizenship Impossible ~. ~,
Evidence that Colonel Roosevelt rnr,
poses to rsP this sitTation For S7sp
paign attacks upon President W'Eon
comes from several quarters. Some
months ago, Senator Lodge Of Massa,
chlisetts, an intimate personal friend of
Roosevelt, whom he would like TO see
RoWinated again for the Presidency,
Sr"a the LEADING minority member Of
tho Foreign relations committee. "show-
r1'' in the controversy UqO Da PINTO.
born in Roat on in August, 1895, aud son
~ natural z",l Italian, was detsined
for military service while in ITALY
stndyjBg architecture. There was not
much difficulty getting Prato released
hut Senator Lodge, as an incident of
the correspondence, declared Tin line
with Roosevelt 3 magazine promncia-
'-mentol: "I cannot assent for mo
Irent to the proposition that such n
~ 'ng as dual citizenship is possible -
M BY that time the state department be,
son 10 "smell a mouse" and Secretary
Lansing prepared comprehensive let,
ter to the senator, which has been made
a circular. Therein Mr.. Lansing said:
"Dual nationality = not theory nor
doctrine promulgated by the depart.
IpeHt, but is the unavoidable result OF
the conflicting laws Of different coun.
tries. -
Roosevelt Warning Quoted
In this he also said: "While this
government holds that naturalized
Apcrican tizons cannot rightfuliy be
called upon to perform military or other
obligations which has not actually ac.
crued before their emigration the de,
pertinent has always deemed il advis,
able to call the attention Of naturalizsd
u 'l'ans to the position in which they
win he placed in case they vOlS htaTily
return to Italy. Dur.ug and since the
admin iStTatiOn Of President Roosevelt
{ the department Of state has accordingly
issued circular warning to them to tn 4
effect which contains the following
81 lteriont: Naturalization Of an Ital,
ian prbjeet in foreign country with,
. a. $50 rCHH"nt Of The Italian govern
rent IS no bar to liability to military
feryice "
rho exripitat'On Of criticism never,
~ "hP" p+ro'ete IN RnOsevelt quarters
CIV. Ili-rm W. Johnson % California
~, ! }r"N ~ ~" PaOsev"lt ticket In 1919,
~ rscentIy been taking ii pp,