New Britain herald., 1918-04-16
LEGISLATION TO
RESTRICT TRAVEL
Watch to Be Kept on People De-
string to Leave Country

Washington, April 16.-Supervision
Of travel of American citizens so as TO
guard the country against operations
of spies and other enemy agents is
to be provided under the broad powers
conferred by a bill pending in the
house, with the administration and
the foreign affairs committee as its
sponsors. 1t Is intended to give neces-
sary supplemental authority to the
government to watch it's borders and
act quickly where present laws are
Inadequate and to follow, in principle,
at least the precautions taken by the
warning governments of Europe.
Need of the legislation Is considered
pressing. Recently there have been
numerous suspicious departures for
Cuba which it was impossible for this
government to prevent. Other indi-
vtdual cases of entry and departure
at various points have excited the
greatest anxiety. This Is particularly
true, according to the government in
respect of the Mexican border, pas
sage across which cannot legally be
restricted for many types Of persons
reasonably suspected of aiding Ger
many's purposes. The bill will be
urged in both houses as an emergency
what Chairman Flood, of the house
foreign affairs committee, calls IAN
important gap in the war legislation
Of the United States"
AS soon as this country entered the
war the president provided by procla-
nation, that German alien enemies
might not enter or leave the United
States without securing permission
When war was declared against Aus
tria-Hungary similar regulations were
promulgated concerning Austro- Hun
garian allen enemies.
Present Limits insufficient
This measure Of limitation Of for
eign travel was far from sufficient"
the house foreign affairs committee
reports. THE Trading with the enemy
act leaves American citizens and neu-
trails perfectly free to come and go
No argument is necessary to tldicate
the probability that Germany will,
wherever possible, employ renegade
Americans or neutrals as her agents
instead Of employing Germans about
whom suspicion would easily be ex-
cited. The danger of the transference
of important military information
causes the government great anxiety,
| particularly as the attorney general
has ruled that neither the president
, nor the executive departm ents have
power to curb the general departure
| and entry Of travellers.
New legislation is the only remedy.
In his address to congress on Deem
Der 4, 1917, the president emphasized
the necessity Of creating a very de-
finite and particular control over the
! entrance and departure cs all persons
| into and from the United States The
| department of juster drafted the bill
now under discussion. 1t was intro
duced In congress on February 26,
! 1918"
Citizens need not secure such per-
mits as are required of aliens but
must bear valid passport. Passports
will continue to be issued as at pres
! ent by the department of state, and
there is no reason to believe, accord
ing to the trainers Of the bill, that any
| American citizen will be unduly in
! convenienced by these restrictions.
! While the power vested In the presi-
| dent Is broad and mprehensive, the
| bill defines all the infringements of
| it's terms which may be criminal. The
! bill places q maximum limit beyond
which It's penal provisions may not be
carried and requires that all rules,
regulations, and orders shall be rea-
| sOnable
| mo one" says Mr.. Flood, "can fore
see the different means which may be
adopted by hostile nations to secure
military information or spread propa-
ganda and discomfort. 1t is obviously
| irlpracticable to appeal to congress
for further legislation in each new
emergency. Swift executive action is
the only effective counter stroke