Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-01-03
ALL GERMANS IN
.. S. TO REGISTER
WEEK OF FEBRUARY FOURTH HAS
BEEN SET ASm GOVERNMENT
TO KEEP TRAQ K OF LII ALIEN
CITIZENS.

i u0 HtCh VI Z Nsic oSI ofoIoO NY
the Department |cf Justice today for
registration CT he half million I'M
lnaturalized GeraInns in the continental
United StGt2s lily police and postmas-
tiers in pursuance of President Will
sons enemy alien proclamation
Earlier plans for administering the
registration in the eastern cities first
and gradually extending it to the en-
tire country were abandoned because
of the fear that some Germans might
avoid registration by moving from dis
trict to district.
Registration will involve the gath
ering of detailed information con-
corning the business relations and
habits of every German, together
with his photograph and finger-prints.
After registering, he must carry a
certificate card, and may not change
his place of residence without appro-
val of the police or postmaster. Vio-
lation of the regulations will be pun
ishable by internment for the war
j Orders do not apply to German wo-
men nor to any persons under four
tec1, years OF age, because these are
not classed as alien enemies by law.
Subjects of Austria-Hungary are not
required to register.
In announcing the regulations, the
Department of Justice took care to
avoid creating the impression that the
government looks on each German
with suspicion.
Certificate cards will be issued only
after complete verifcation is made
and each fact reported by registrants
The information obtained will be of
distinct value to officials in running
down enemy plots and propaganda and
in discovering what Germans need
close watching. The task will be great
in cities where the German population
Is large, and Newspapers and citizens
will be asked TO assist.
In cities of 5000 or more inabitants,
as recorded by the 1910 census, the
chief of police and his assistants will
administer the registration. In small
er communities and rural districts,
registration will be conducted by the
postmasters, and the postmaster of the
largest office in the local jurisdiction
will be the chief registration officer
to gather the reports and forward
them to the United States marshal and
the Department of Justice. In most
cases the work will be done by pre-
cincts.
Every German is required to go to
the registrar and make out triplicate
affidavit information blanks ard to
furnish four photographs of himself
one for each affidavit ard or" Ell !
his registration card. The photograph
aust bear his signature written acoss
the front and must not be larger than
three inches square. 1t nut be no
thin paper and have light back
ground.
The affidavit provides for recording
name address, age, place OF plith. &C
equations and residences since Jan.
|, 1914, date of arrival in the United
States, whether married, names and
ages of children, whether registrant
has or has had any male relative in
arms against the United States,
whether registered for draft, military
training, naturalization conditions and
similar information.
Full description of the man and the
prints of each finger must be taken
by the registrar The registrant must
swear to the affidavit before the reg
istering officer
Small ,postoffces not equipped with
finger-print apparatus are advised to
borrow small quantity of printers
ink and roller from the town printer
and make the impression upon the ink
spread on a pane of glass.
One of the triplicate records is to
be kept by the clustering agent, one
sent to Tire united States marshal AMI
one to the Department of Justice at
Washington.