Daily Kennebec journal., 1918-07-22
ALIEN ENEMIES AND
ALLIED ALIEN ENEMIES

HLLlEU HkILV IVlI5itlO
The subject of alien enemies and
allied alien enemies is taken up in
the form Of a communication from j.
W. Riley, adjutant general Of the
army in a bulletin sent out Saturday !
10 the various exemption boards, ap- |
peal agents and legal advisory |
boards, by Adjutant General George
Mel. Presson, the provost marshal
Of Maine. The bulletin follows:
/. Selective Service Regulations
provide that no alien enemy residing
in the United States, whether he has
taken out his first papers or not. VIII |
be accepted for service. NotWith-
standing these instructions. commu-
nications reaching this office lndl-
cate that many such alien enemies
have been inducted by the local
boards and accepted into service BY
the military authorities, and further
indicate that the proper disposition
of enemy aliens and allied enemy
aliens is not thoroughly understood.
2. The instructions Of this ctficc
in a telegram dated Jan. p. 1918. ana
the further instructions in n circular
letter dated April IS, 1918. are stu
in effect The telegram + Jan. .1
1918. referred to above directed that
all subjects Of countries with whom
we are at war, who do not desire TO
serve in the United States army. be
discharged at the earliest possible
moment. Before disCharging any SOL
dier whom you believe should be in
termed. consult with the nearest
agent Of the department of justice to
ascertain if he will order internmcnt.
Report to this office names and or
ganizations of soldiers and report
by wire the number Of soldiers dis
charged pursuant 10 TINS order
5. 1t is pre- ;umed that all alien
enemy soldiers, who were in the SER
vice on Feb /. 1913. were given an
opportunity for discharge under the
provisions of this telegram. and ap
plcations for discharge from such
soldiers on the ground of their be-
ing alien enemies should be granted
only after proof that opportunity for
discharge under telegram of Jan. y,
1918, had not been afforded.
4 The cases Of soldiers who havS
entered the service since Feb. /. 1918
Will he considered on their merits
and if an alien enemy soldier has
once been offered an opportunity for
discharge ard expressed over his sig
nature a Willingness to serve, he
will not be discharged on his own re-
quest or the request of any other
person. on account of his alien enc
my birth.
). When applications are received,
from any source. for discharge by
reason of enemy alienage you viii
promptly investigate the case, com
municating. if necessary, with the
soldiers local board. through the
State adjutant general. with view
of determining whether or not the
soldier is in fact any enemy alien
and has not been afforded an oppor-
tunity for discharge under the pro-
visions Of the telegram of Jan. p.
! 1918, final action in his case Will be
taken by YOU. If your investigation
discloses that he has had such an op-
portunity and has expressed a will
ngness to serve. he will not be dis
charged.
G. These instructions are not to
be construed to prohibit the dis
charge Of enemy alien soldiers who
by their speech or action indicate
! that they are fit subjects for intern
ment. This order provides an outlet
for the disposition of enemy alien
soldiers who are not discharged, who
do not become naturalized and who,
on account Of enemy alien birth are
not eligible for service abroad.
Z. Completely naturalized citizens
Of enemy alien birth cannot be in
termed. but such soldiers concerning
whose loyalty there is any doubt
should be brought to trial by court
martial, providing their speech or
conduct furnishes sufficient evidence
to warrant such action.
| s. Citizens Of allied enemy birth do
not come under the provisions of the
Selective Service Regulations re
ferred to in Paragraph l Of this let
ter or the telegram of Jan 81. 1918,
They are not, however. eligible for
service abroad. Attention is invited
to circular letter from this office dat
ed May 7, 1918. especially Paragraph
| . thereof. ba
! g. To provide a m : by which
! loyal soldiers of enemy salien or al
lied enemy alienA birth. who desire
to remain in the service may become
eligible for service. aoroad. a natur-
alization bill providing for the ex-
peditious naturalization Of practical
ly all aliens in the military service, |
including enemy aliens producing
satisfactory evidence of loyalty. has