Arizona republican., 1916-01-10
Are We Neutral?

We think that all Americans, whatever may be their sympathies or prejudices, are agreed on the proposition that should either get into the European keep out of it entirely. Circum- stances might have arisen and may yet arise to in- volve us but until have made declaration should commit act and permit no act that could be construed as a national discrimination in favor of either side the
 We referring ruling made by the secretary of the department of labor which we have recently alluded. It in the of Amer can citizens who went to Canada to enlist in the military service of Great Britain. Inquiry having been made to the status of such citizens. the secretary of the department. Mr Wilson, by the way. of British birth issued the following nstruc- tions American immigration agents:
 Several have arisen of late wherein the question been raised to whether a United States citizen eXpatriates himself by enlsting in the Canadian army The matter has been the sub feet of considerable correspondence and has now been definitely decided as attested by the follow ing quotation from Bureau letter of October g. 1915 No. 54,o03,431:
 Instructions should be issued by you to the that hereafter the boards will not question the American citizenship of an applicant because of the fact that he took the oath allegiance and en- listed in the Canadian forces
 "Officers in this district will be governed accord ingy"
 This ruling is in contravention of the Biblical declaration that no man can serve two masters. An American entering the British army service swears allegiance to the British government, but whether at the time he formally forswears allegiance to the United States do not know However, that is immaerial for it impossible for one tc hold allegiance to two distinct governments at the time. The very act of swearing ale glance to alien government a severance of all relation with the government to which one has belonged
 One may eXpatrate and afterward repatriate himself Many American citizens have undergone such frequent changes of citizenship But our laws require that the act of repatriation must be similar in form to the process of naturalization for an ex- patrated person is alien in law and one who wants to resume American citizenship must follow the course laid down for born foreigner Is it possible that Mr Wilson regards military ser vice with the allies holy employment on account of which naturalization laws may be sus- pended by departmental ruling?
 Extraordinary these instructions issued hv MT Wilson are, though they issued as long ago as October of last year, since which time many Americans have enlisted in Canada the ruling seems not to have engaged the attention of the national administration of which the secretary is part.
 We know of other act by our government or any of it's citizens than this unprecedented ruling upon which one may lay finger and declare it to he unneGtral. The charge of unneutraty has been lodged against government for doing certain things permitting certain things to be done by its citizens but for every of them but this one there has been authorization by international law or precedent. BuS in this act the department of labor has proceeded without law precedent or reason.