The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-04-24
PRESIDENT WARNS
AGAINST TREASON
ALL SUCH ACTS WILL BE VIGOR-
ousLY PROSECUTED, HE
SAYS. CITES LAWS.

All person in the United States,
citizens and aliens, are warned IN a
proclamation issued by President
Wilson that reasonable acts or at
tempts to shield those committing
such acts will be vigorously prose
cuted by the government.
Far reaching Importance attaches
to the direction of the warning to
aliens and the declaration that ''resi-
dent aliens as well as citizens owe
allegiance to the United States, "
and therefore are equally subject to
the laws against treason and like
crimes.
At war. the United States is in a
very different position from a neu-
trail. Bomb plotters now may be
gripped with an iron hand. Not only
are conspirators themselves subject
to heavy penalties but any one, even
a German resident, who has knowl-
edge of reasonable acts and fails to
make known the facts to the author
itics, may be sent to prison for seven
years and fined $1,000 for mispris-
ion of treason. The Presidents proc
lamation follows;
"Whereas, all persons in the Unit
ed States, citizens as well as aliens,
should be informed of the penalties
which they will incur for any failure
to bear true allegiance to the United
States;
"Now therefore, l, Woodrow Will
son, President of the United States,
hereby issue this proclamation to
call especial attention to the follow
ing provisions of the constitution
and the laws of the United States:
"Section to Article III of the
constitution provides in part-'Trea-
son against the United States shall
consist only in levying war against
them, or in adhering to their enemies,
giving them aid and comfort
"The criminal code of the United
States provides:
Section 1. Whoever, owing al
legiance to the United States, levies
war against them or adheres to their
enemies, giving them aid and COM
fort within the United States or "lse-
where, is guilty of treason.
Section 2. Whoever is convict
ed of treason shall suffer death; or
at the discretion of the court, shall
be imprisoned not less than five
years and fined not less than $780,
900, to be levied on and collected
out of any and all of his property,
real and personal, of which he was
the owner at the time of committing
such treason, any sale or convey
ance to the contrary notwithstand-
ing; and every person so convicted
of treason shall, moreover, be in
capable of holding any office under
the United States.
"'Section 3. Whoever, owing al
legiance to the United States and
having knowledge of the commission
of any treason against them, con-
ceals and does not, as soon as may
be, disclose and make known the
same to the President or to some
judge of the United States, or to
the governor, or to some judge or
justice CT a particular state, is gull
ty of imprision of treason and shall
be imprisoned not more than seven
years and fined not more than ST.
OO0."
The courts of the United States
have stated the following acts to be
reasonable:
"The use or attempted use of any
force or violence against the govern
ment of the United States or its mill
tary or naval forces;
'The acquisition, use or disposal
of any property with knowledge that
it is to be, or with intent that it
shall be of, assistance to the enemy
IN their hostilities against the Unit
ed States;
1.-The performance of any act or
the publication of statements or in
formation which will give or supply.
In any way, aid and comfort to the
enemies of the United States;
"The direction, aiding, counselling
or countenancing of any Of the fore
going acts"