New-York tribune., 1917-04-25
Aliens Are Free
To Quit Country,
Government Says
Must Take Oath Not to
Fight Against the
United States

Aliens who wish to leave the
United States at this time may do SO,
providing the proper application blanks
are filed and accepted. Federal attor-
ncys and marshals in this city an
nounced yesterday.
The method Of procedure is IN strlk-
ing contrast to that adopted by Eng
+ land. France and Russia at the begin
4 ming Of the war, when many thousands
Of Tcutons were interned without an
opportunity TO reach their native soil
1 or fec 10 a neutral country.
Detailed announcement Of The plan TO
be followed in this country was made
Yesterday afternoon in the Federal
Building. with the arrival there Of the
printed application blanks which aliens
must fll out If they wish to leave the
United States. All applications must
be passed on by Attorney General
/ Gregory. The government reserves the
option Of refusing any petition pre-
scented.
Rush 10 Leave Expected
Neither in United States District At
toruey Marshalis nor United States
Marshal McCarthy's Offices was there
disposition to speculate on the number
OF Germans who are expected TO
ask permission 10 leave this country.
{ But the fact that thousands of appli-
cation blanks were received yesterday
in the Federal Building, az we'll rs al
/ the Federal District Attorneys and
Marshal's Offices in Brooklyn. indicate
/ that food Of such petitions is looked
for.
MANY aliens now resident in New
York will not even be put TO the trouble
Of walking down 20 the Federal Build
| ing 20 ask for their application blanks,
! 10 was intimated yesterday. Instead
government agents will carry the
| blanks to them. leaving not only the
( printed form. but also the hint that
the sooner it is filed out the better.
Rigid examination will be made OF
every applicant. In some cases, 1t IS
believed. facts will be brought to light
which will indicate that internment
will be wiser than granting safe con-
/ duct.
The alien who wishes to leave the
country must take this oath:
81 solemnly swear that | am not
seeking to depart from the United
! States with any purpose or intent,
! either directly or indirectly. 70 injure,
impede or interfere with. by word or
deed, the United States or its officers.
agents or representatives in the prose
cution of the war in which it Is now
engaged. And. further. that will com
nit no act Of hostility against the
United States. or give any aid, comfort
or information to its enemies"
Must Tell Where He Is Going
The applicant must also state his rea-
son for wishing TO leave the country,
the exact point from which he will de-
part. his destination and the specihc
irain or boat By which he will leave.
He must submit three photographs or
himself To his passport one photo
graph will be attached, rs will minute
description Of the applicant.
Although the fact that the apphca-
tions had reached the Federal Building
was made public only yesterday. at
least a score Of petitions had been filed
before the building closed at o'clock
last evening, according to Assistant
District Attorney John c. Knox. No
applications for departure have yet
been hled, either in Long Island or
Staten Island, United States Marshal
James ". Power, Of the Eastern Dis
triCt, said.
Yesterday was the last day Of the
period allotted by the Presidents proc
iamation for enemy aliens to rid them
selves Of arms, explosives Of any sort,
secret code books, wireless apparatus,
aircraft or other instruments that
might be used against the government.
Only a few arms were seized in either
this or the Long and Staten Island dis
/ tricts.