Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-04-17
son warns
What WILL Be
TRAITORS FATE
Issues Proclamation Informing
Citizens and Aliens Treason
able Acts Will Be Vigor.
ously Prosecuted.
DRASTIC PENALTIES TOLD
Attempts to Shield Those Com
mitting Such Crimes Will Be
Treated With Severity.
PROVISIONS OF THE CODE
DRASTIC PENALTIES TOLD
PROVISIONS OF THE CODE

Washington. April l6-All persons
in the United States. citizens and
aliens, are warned in proclamation
issued today by President Wilson that
reasonable acts or attempts to shield
those commotting such acts will be
vigorously prosecuted by the govern
ment.
The proclamation defines treason,
citing statutes. provisions of the con-
stitution and decisions of the courts,
and declares that the acts described
will be regarded as reasonable
whether committed within the bor-
ders of the United States or else
where.
Iron Hand for Bomb Plotters.
| Far reaching importance attaches
to the direction of the warning to
aliens and the declaration that resi-
dent aliens as we'll as citizens owe al
legiance 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 neu-
tral. Bomb plotters may now be
gripped with an iron hand. Not only
are conspirators themselves subject to
heavy penalties, but any one, even a
German resident who has knowledge
and fails to make known the facts to
the authorities, may be sent to prison
for seven years and fined $1,000 for
misprision of treason.
Text of Proclamation.
The presidents proclamation fol-
lows:
Whereas, all persons in the United
States, citizens as we'll as aliens,
should be informed of the penalties
which they will incur for any failure
to bear true allegiance to the United
States; ....-.-5s-E --- =,
Now, therefore, 7, Woodrow VIII
son, president of the United States,
hereby issue this proclamation to call
especial attention to the following
provisions of the constitution and the
laws of the United States:
Section 3 of article iii, of the con-
stitution provides in part: Treason
against the United States shall con-
slst only in levying war against
them, or in adhering TO their enc
mics, giving them aid and comfort
Provisions Of Criminal Code.
The criminal code of the United
States provides:
" Section !. Whoever, owing al
legiance to the United States, lcvies
war against them or adheres to their
enemies, giving them aid and COM
tort within the United States or else
where is guilty of treason.
"s'Sec. 2. Whoever is convicted of
treason shall suffer death; or, at the
discretion of the court, shall be i'm
prisoned not less than five years and
fined not less than $4,000, to be
levied on and collected out OF any or
all OF his property, real and personal,
of which he was the owner at the
time OF committing such treason, any
sale or conveyance to the contrary
notwithstanding, and every person so
convicted OF treason shall, moreover,
be incapable of holding any office un-
der the United States.
Sec. 3. Whoever owing allegiance
to the United States and having
knowledge OF the commission of any
treason against them conceals 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 government
or to some Judge or justice of a par
ticular state is guilty of misprison of
treason and shall be imprisoned not
more than seven years and fined not
more than $1,000
Penalty for Such Offense.
"'Sec. g. If two or more persons
in any state or territory, or in any
place subject to the jurisdiction of the
United States conspire to overthrow,
put down or destroy by force the gov
ernment of the United States or to
levy war against them, or to oppose
by force the authority thereof. or by
force to prevent, hinder or delay the
execution of any law of the United
States, or by force to seize, take or
possess any property Of the United
States contrary to the authority
thereof. they shall each be fined not
more than $1,000, or imprisoned not
more than six years, or BOTH"
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 thafSt shall
be of assistance TO the enemy in their
hostilities against the United States;
Held to Be Reasonable.
"The performance of any act or the
publication of statements or informa-
ton which will give or supply, in any
way, aid and comfort to the enemies
Of the United States;
The direction, aiding, counseling
or countcnancing of any Of the fore
going acts.
Such acts are held to be treason
able whether committed within the
United States or elsewhere; whether
committed by citizen of the United