New-York tribune., 1917-11-06
United States Officials Plan
to Send 100000 Enemy
Aliens Inland
Great Lakes Littoral
May Be Included
Ruling Is Expected To Be
Announced This
Week

An order declaring all territory with
in one hundred miles of the coast line
Of the United States a barred zone to
enemy aliens will be promulgated
within few days, according to Federal
officials
Such a sweeping order would force
Germans out OF six states on the At
lantic coast. namely, Florida, New Jer-
sey. Maryland, Connecticut. Delaware
and Rhode Island
Under this order thousands Of Ger
mans who have lived in big German
centres like New York for years, rear
ing families and building up business
es, but who failed to foreswear the
Fatherland, would have to seek new
homes further inland.
Would Affect 100000
More than 100000 enemy aliens
would be affected. It is estimated that
of the 100000 enemy aliens resident in
this country more than three qua rters
live along the coast.
Naval officers are the principal pro.
2onents Of the order. which has been
discussed at Washington for several
days past. Many Of these naval Off
GERS, and others who have participated
in the conferences, insist that the lit
toral Of the Great Lakes be interpreted
10 mean the coast line.
This would include Chicago, Cleve-
land. Buffalo. Lansing, Rochester. De-
troit and other big cities near the
Great Lakes in the barred zone. with
New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Los
Angeles and the other cities Of the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
The inclusion Of the Great Lakes lit
torai in the order would also make all
Of Michigan barred zone.
Navy Officials Favor Plan
High ranking officers of the navy
have long advocated a barred zone
which would result in the driving -
land Of all Germans. They have de-
clared that. until such an order was is
sued, the attempts TO cripple troop
ships and other naval vessels would
continue. And they have said. and in
this they were joined by other Federal
ofiiclaIs watching enemy aliens. that
until this was done the burning Of
warehouses filled with foodstuhs and
munitions would 90 on at the pleasure
Of the Germans.
The order is drastic said an Of
tcial. But 1t is necessary. The fire.
quent recurrence Of German attempts
10 destroy our ships and their success
ful attempts to destroy cattle and
wheat and grain ana munitions have
made this order imperative"
Barred Zone in Effect Here
Without waiting for this order to be
issued from Washington, local Federal
officials will call upon the police Of
New York to prevent enemy aliens from
using any streets two blocks from the
waterfront for any purpose.
As one official put it last night. Ger
mans, whether holding barred zone per-
mits or not. would be ordered from
their homes and business places by the
police if they live or work or do bust
ness within two blocks Of the water
front.
Certain streets leading TO ferries will
be barred TO the enemy aliens in this
city, and the only approach that they
may use to the ferries will be placard
ed plainly so that there will be no ex-
cuse for error.
The hundred-mile zone order would
have tremendous effect economically.
Germans in Boston. Bangor, Portsmouth
and the factory cities of Lynn, Lowell,
Hartford, Bridgeport and Providence
will have TO move inland Other big
cities in the East affected would be
Washington and Philadelphia. Prac-
tically all the big cities in the South
would be similarly affected.
All the big cities along the Hudson
Peekskil, Newburgh,
Poughkeepsic, Kingston and Albany
will be included in the barred zone.
Hoboken's German population would
have 20 move. Newark, another big
German centre, would lose thousands Of
its residents.
Would Affect 100000 Here
II is estimated that there are at
least 10000 families, averaging five 70
q family. OF NeImdu~ III new IOTk lily
who are enemy aliens. Many of the
heads OF these families have lived here
for many years. But living in a pro-
German atmosphere, these men have
never taken out citizenship papers
Federal officials figure there are thou
sands of these.
Many officials believe that rule sim
liar TO the one In France and England,
prohibiting Germans from approaching
railroad without permit, under PEN
atty of trial by summary court
martial. should be adopted. All places
stored with food and munitions should
be placed in the same category with
railroads.
One Federal official said that the pro
posed order was all right in so far as it
went, but that as long as Austro-H Hun
garians and Turks and subjects of
other countries with which the United
States is at war are eliminated from
the provisions Of the order, its purpose
would be to some extent thwarted.
Then, too" continued this official.
"the one weak spot in the regulating
Of enemy aliens is Section OF the
espionage act. Any one who attempts
TO injure or destroy naval vessels or
other property Of the United States
can be punished by not more than
twenty years"