Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-16
Restoring Rights to
Former Resident. of
Country With Allies

Washington. May 1.-THE double
hazard which aliens risk in going into
the war on the side of the allied pow
ers is to be remedied by legislation. \
hiIi for the purpose, introduced by
Representative Slayden. of Texas. has
the unanimous backing of the immi-
grafton committee, and Speaker Clark
has agreed to give rccU ynition for a
motion to suspend the rules and let
the bill up for immediate passage.
The aliens now face the peril OF be-
ing killed in battle or Of being shot as
traitors if captured If they are hon
"rahly dis2h ami axe oil then
uniforms over there and some months
afterWard try to come back into this
country they are liable 10 he barred on
the ground that they MAY Become pub
lie charges. Chairman Barnett. OF the
immigration committee, believes that
the immigration law barriers should
be let down in these cases in the in
terest of national appreciation of pa
triotism.
When the war began there wara
aliens lawfully residing in the United
States, many of them from Polish ter
ritory, under the political control of
Germany, Austria and Russia. as we'll
as Czecho- Slovaks, also subjects TO the
Austro- Hungarian or German govern
ments Some of them had declared
their intentions to become American
citizens, while others had not. altho
possibly meaning ultimately TO be-
come so.
Many Poles, Czecho- Slovaks and
Slavs went to Europe in 1914 and
Joined the forces of Serbia. Britain or
France. to fight the governments that
they regarded as the oppressors Of
their people
'Importart armies have been formal
out of these brave and patriotic people
who abandoned comfort and security
IN the United States and other Coun-
tries TO go back TO Europe TO fight
against their ancient enemies, now be-
come ours" the committee report
says France has officially recos-
nizel one such organization. The
Czecho- Slovak army has been made
a part of the military forces under the
F. ench high co;amand. altho autonE-
nous and operating under its own flag.
Jews. Armenians and Svrians residing
in the United States before April s,
1917. when America went into war, are
among the people who will be benefited
BY this resolution.
Aliens here before tie United States
declared war on the central powers
and who henceforth have been con-
scrtpted for service with the United
States army or who have volunteered
or who may hereafter GO into that
army voluntarily or by draft, may be
-eadmitted to the United States under
the resolution. if they apply for read
mission within one year after the close
Of the war. This class of aliens VIII
be permitted to return notwithstanding
they have not declared their purpose
TO become citizens
The resolution also authorizes the
return TO the United States. within one
wear after the end Of the war, Of aliens
residing here prior to April s, 1917,
vho had declared their citizenship In
+entions and who have enlisted for
military service with one or the
cobelligerents of the United states IN
the present war, or with the CZecho-
Slovak. Polish or other independent
forces attached to the OnNeo 9Io'e'
army or TO tnat of any one OF the CO.
belligerents Of the United States after
being honorably discharged or FUR
loughed abroad by proper military au-
thority.
In brief, the resolution only proposes
to give these aliens the status anu
rights they had as lawful residents Oh
United states prior to April s, 1915
but, in recognition of their service IN
cause in which the Americans are
engaged. it proposes to waive the I'M
migrant head tax that would otherwise
be collected when they return. ne
immigration committee reported II as
IAN act of justice TO people whose ser
,ices are valuable and who by assoc
ciatjng themselves with us or with the
allied powers in Europe incur uhusuai
| peril