Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-11-23
Wilson Lays Down The Law To
Aliens.

in the United States under, constant sur
veillance and curb theetreasonabe activi-
ties of few will be promulgated in sew
eral days by Acknowledgement Gregory to
make effective the proclamation issued
Monday by President Wilson imposing re-
strictions on free movement Of alien enc
mics.
BY means of the new regulations the
Department Of Justice expects to be able
to round up number OF Germans who are
believed to have directed the organized
campaigns of sabotage and propaganda to
embarrass the United States in the war.
Under the proclamation unnaturalized
male Germans above the age of ID are
required to register with the police or some
other authority to be designated by the
Attorney General. In addition they must
report periodically to some officials if the
Attorney General so orders. They may
not travel in the United States without a
permit and may not approach within 100
yards OF any wharf. pier, dock, warehouse.
she'd elevator, storage-house, railroad term
inai or other establishment which the At
torney General may designate. They are
forbidden to travel on the ocean. Great
Lakes, or any river or waterway, either on
public vessels or in their own private boats
they may not enter or reside in the Dis
trict OF Columbia or the Panama Canal
zone. and are not permitted to make aerial
flights in balloons or airplanes.
The new order applies to Germans living
within the United States, the Philippines.
Porto Rico, Alaska and other possessions
or territories, but does not affect subjects
OF Austria. Turkey and Bulgaria. II is
effective Immediately. but the regulation
and licensing for travelling will not be put
into full effect for few days. In admin
istering the new regulations the Depart
ment of Justice will abide by the govern
ment's established policy Of annoying
law-abiding Germans as little as possible,
and full pressure of the restrictions will be
imposed only on Germans suspected of
having evil designs against the United
States.
The registration probably will be made
by local police in cities and towns. al
though Department Of Justice officials had
not decided finally on whom this task
should be imposed. The same authority
probably will be designated to receive
periodical reports from alien enemies and
to issue permits for travel.
Germans without evil intent, officials
believe, will comply willingly with the
terms Of the new restrictions in the knowl-
edge that similar restrictions are imposed
on alien enemies by other warning nations.
Those who disobey. however, will place
themselves open to suspicion Immediately
and the government will exercise its privi-
leee OF internine for the war any who fail
to voluntarily comply.
A number of recent fires and explosions
have been attributed to the work of alien
enemies. Under the provision Of the 100
yard restricted zone. agents may arrest
any who are found on docks, piers or
warehouses.
One of the most important features of
the Presidents proclamation, in the opin-
ion OF Department of Justice officials, is
the forbidding of water travel to enemies.
Much of the damage to docks and piers is
known to have been done by German
agents travelling in motor-boats. In addi-
ton, German walters or stewards on ocean
steamships, either in transatlantic or
coastwise traffic, are suspected of having
carried messages which eventually reach
ed Germany.
The closing of the District of Columbia
to Germans was urged by government
agents as one means of lessenine the
traffic in valuable war information, which
is believed to have its most important
center in the Capital. The few scores OF
unnaturalized Germans living in Washing
ton will be forced to move out imme-
diately.
German women are not subject to the
regulations, in as much as alien enemies
were defined by the Espionage Act as
natives, citizens, denizens or subjects Of
the hostile nation, being males of the age
of IA years or upward"
The proclamation in full is as follows:
Whereas the Congress of the United
States. in the exercise Of the constitutional
authority vested in them, have resolved by
joint resolution of the Senate and House
of Representatives. bearing date of April
6. 1917. THAT the state of war between
the United States and the imperial Ger
man government, which has been thrust
upon the United States. is hereby formally
declared whereas II is provided by Sec
tion 4067 Of the Revised Statutes as fol-
lows:
Whenever there Is declared a war be-
tween the United States and any foreign
nation or government or any invasion or
predatory incursion is perpetrated, at
tempted or threatened against the territory
Of the United States by any foreign nation
or government, and the President makes
public proclamation of the event, all ma
tives, citizens. denizens or subjects Of the
hostile nation or government. being males
Of the age Of IA years and upward, who
shall be within the United States and not
actually naturalized. shall be liable to be
apprehended, restrained, secured and re-
moved as alien enemies
The President is authorized in any
such event by his proclamation thereof or
other public acts to direct the conduct to
be observed on the part of the United
States toward the aliens who become so
liable the manner and degree of the re-
straint to which they shall be subject, and
in what cases and upon what security their
residence shall be permitted, and to pro-
vide for the removal Of those who not
being permitted to reside within the United