The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-17
DEATH PENALTY FOR TRAITORS, PROCLAMATION
 OF PRESIDENT DECLARES

COnSPH1llg ASdluSI U. D.
 or Aiding and Comforting
 Enemy Also Punishable.
 Washington, April 17-All persons in the United States, citizens and aliens, are warned in a proclamation issued yesterday by President Wilson that reasonable acts, whether com nlitted within the borders of the United States or elsewhere, or at- tempts to shield those committing such acts, will be vigorously prescott ed by the government.
 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 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 g. neutral. Bomb plotters now may be gripped with an iron hand.
 Text of the Proclamation
 The proclamation reads:
 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:
 "Now, therefore, l, Woodrow Will 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 of Article III. of the Constitution provides, in part: Urea son against the United States, shall consist only in 1evying 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 allegi- ance to the United States, levies wal agains them or adheres to their ene- mics, giving the maid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere is guilty of treason.
 "'Section 2. Whoever is convicted of treason shall suffer death, or, a, the discretion of the court, shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined not less than $10,000, to be levied on and collected out of any oI all of his property, real and persona of which he was the owner at the | time of committing such treason, any sale q. conveyance to the contrary notwithstanding and every person st 1 convicted of treason shall, however be incapable of holding any office un 1 der the United States.
 "'Section 3. Whoever. owing. ale glance to the United States and hay any treason against them, conceal and does not, as soon as may be, dis close and make known the same to tn President or to some judge or justic of a particular state, is guilty of mis prision of treason and shall be i'm prisioned not more than seven. year and fined not more than $1,000. 1 Section s. If two or more per l sons in any state or territory or il any place subject to the Jurisdiction
 of the United States, conspire to over throw, put down, or to destroy b l force the government of the Unite ] States, or to levy war against ther | or to oppose by force the authorit f thereof, or by force to prevent, hinde | or delay the execution of any law 0 1 the United States, or by force to seize take or possess any property of tn United States contrary to the, author 1 ity thereof, they shall each be fine l not more than $5,000, or improsine not more than six years, or both "The courts of the United State
 have stated the following acts to b
 reasonable:
 1 'The use or attempted use of an
 force or violence against the govern
 ment of the United States, or its mill tary or naval forces.
 The acquisition, use or disposal C any property with knowledge that l is to be, of with intent that it sha be, or assistance to the enemy in thei
 hostilities against the United States.
 ''The performances of any act c the publication of statements or in formation which will give or supply in any way, aid and comfort to tn enemies of the United States 'The direction, aiding, counseling O countenancing of any of the foregoin 1 acts.
 Such acts are held 10 be treason able whether committed by a citize
 of the United States or by an allie domiciled, or residing in the Unite States, inaSmuch as resident aliens, a l we'll as citizens, owe allegiance to tn
 United States and it's laws.
 "Any such citizen or alien who ha knowledge of the commission of sucl acts and conceaIs and does not mak l known the facts to the officials name in Section of the Penal Code i guilty of misprision of treason.
 And I hereby proclaim and war all citizens of the United States am all aliens owing allegiance to the Gov l ernment of the United States to ab stain from committing any and al acts which would constitute a viola ton of any of the laws herein SC forth. And I further proclaim an, warn all persons who may comni such acts that they will be vigorousl prosecuted therefor.
 l ''In witness whereof, I have here unto set my hand and caused the sea of the United States to be affixed. l Done at the City of Washington this sixteenth day of April in the yea of our Lord one thousand nine hun dred sand seventeen and of the inde pendence of the United States the on. hundred and forty-SirstA
 WOODROW WILSON. l By the President, Robert Lansing Secretary of State.''
 Several French officers and sailor.