Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-01-02
ALIEN GERMANS
MUST REGISTER
All Unnaturalized Germans in the
Continental United States Must
Register Week of Feb. 4.
WILL LESSEN THE
SPY DANGER HERE
Fun Description of the Man and the
Prints of Each Finger Must be
Taken by the Registrar.

Washington, Dec. 31.-The week
OF Feb 4 was set aside by the De-
partment of Justice today for regis
tration of the half a million unnatur-
allied Germans in the continental
United States by police and postmas-
ters, in pursuance of President Will
so1's- alien enemy proclamation di-
recting this action as means of min
imizing the danger from enemy SYM
pathizers in the United States.
| After registering no German may
change his place of residence without
the approval of the police or post
master on pain of internment for the
war.
General registration will prevent
avoidance of the requirement on the
Part Of Germans by moving from dis
trict to district, which gradual regis
tration would have permitted.
Earlier plans for administering the
registration in the eastern cities first
and gradually extending it to the
country were abandoned because of
the fear that some Germans might
avoid registration by moving from
district to district.
Registration will involve the gath
ering of detailed information coh-
cerning the business, relatives and
habits Of every German, together
with his photograph AID finger prints.
After registering he must carry a
certificate card aid may not change
his place of residence without ap-
proval of the police or postmaster.
Violation OF the regulations will be
punishable by internment for the
war.
The orders do not apply to Ger
ma1 women, nor to any persons un-
der IA years OF age, because they
are not classed as alien enemies by
law. Subjects of Austria-Hungary are
not required to register.
Police, federal marshals and
agents and postal authorities are ex-
pected to cooperate in the roundup
during registration week and toinves-
tigate and check up each fact report
ed by the registrants. Certificate
cards will be issued only after COM
plete veriflcation is made.
The information obtained will be
of distinct value to officials in run
ming down enemy plots and prOpa-
gaada and in discovering what Ger
mans bear close watching. The task
will be great in cities where the Ger
man population is large. and news
papers and citizens will be asked to
assist.
In cities of 5000 or more popula-
tion recorded by the 1910 census the
chief OF police and his assistants
will administer the registration. In
smaller communities and rural dis
tricts registration will be conducted
by the postmasters and the postmast-
ter of the largest Office in the local
judicial district will be the chief reg
istration officer to gather the reports
from the others and forward them to
the United States marshal and the De-
partment of Justice. In most cities
the work will be done by precincts.
Every German is required to go to
the registrar and make out triplicate
affidavit information blanks and to
furnish four photographs of himself
one for each affidavit and one for
his registration card. The photo
graph must bear his signature writ
ten across the front and must not be
larger than three inches square. IT
must be on thin paper and have a
light background.
The affidavit provides for record
ing name, address, age, place OF birth.
occupation and residences since Jan.
H. 1914; date of arrival il the Unit
ed States, whether married, names
and ages of children, whether the
registrant has or has had any male
| relative in arms against the United
States. whether registered for selec-
tion, military training. naturaiiza-
tion conditions and similar informa-
tion~
Full description of the man aad the
prints of each finger must be taken
by the registrar. The registrant must
swear to the affidavit before the reg
istering officer.
Germans not at their place OF resi-
deace during the week of Feb. may
be registered IN the district IN when
they happen to pc.