Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-17
ALIENS CANNOT
LEAVE AMERICA
WITHOUT PERMIT
President Blocks Departure
From Country of Agents
of Germany

| Washington, Aug. 17.-Freedom of
departure from this country of
! aliens by means of which a number
of dangerous enemy agents have been
able to escape from the authorities
since the United States entered the
war will not be permitted after Sep
I tember Is, under proclamation
signed by President Wilson and an
executive order, both of which were
made public last night by the State
Department. The proclamation and
! executive order puts into effect the
alien control law passed by Congress
/ last May.
Under the executive order aliens
after September is will be required
to obtain permits before leaving the
| United States and additional restric-
tions will be placed on the entry of
| aliens into this country. Attempts to
evade the draft, through leaving the
country, which officials believe will
increase with passage of the bill ex-
tending the draft ages, will be rem
dered less easy of accomplishment
by the new restrictions.
Put OH Same Basis as Citizens
Heretofore, American citizens
have been required to make applica-
tions for passports in order to go
abroad and to explain to the salts
faction of the Department of State
the necessity of their trips, while
aliens have been permitted to depart
| freely without making applications
for or explaining their trips" said an
explanatory statement issued by the
State Department last night. The
new law now places aliens in this
respect on basis similar to that of
citizens.
1T is believed that many aliens
| have been leaving the United States
as German agents, carrying informa-
ton abroad for the use of the enemy.
The new law is designed to prevent
the departure of all such enemies of
the United States. There have been
numerous instances of the operations
of such German-paid agents and
spies who have left the country be-
cause there was no law to prevent
their departure"
In this connection, the State De-
partment statement pointed out, the
freedom with which such persons as
Robert Fay, organizer of German
bomb plots, Frans Won Rintelen, and
! Fay's associate, DR.. Walter X.
Sheele, have been able to escape.
The new law, according to the.
State Department statement, will
operate as follows:
ALIENS desiring to leave the Unit
ed States will be required to make
application to the immigrant inspec-
tor or United States District Attorney
nearest his last place of residence.
Aliens living east of the Mississippi
shall make such application not less
than fourteen days nor more than
twenty eight days before the date of
the proposed sailing. Those living
west of the Mississippi shall make
applications not less than eighteen
lays nor more than twenty-eight
days before date of sailing. Each line
must also submit passport issued,
renewed or vised within ten days
prior to the date of his application
and must bring with him as witness
an American citizen who can testify
to the truth of the facts stated in his
application.
Must Show Reason For Journey
Permits to depart will be granted
only if it shall atfirmatively appear
that there is reasonable necessity for
the journey, and that such departure
is deemed not to be prejudical to the
interest of the United States. Pro-
vision has been made under the new
law for the travel of American citi-
zens to and from our insular posses
sions on citizens identity cards to be
issued by immigration officials in lieu
of regular passports and similar pro-
vision has been made for citizenship
and aliens living on either side of
the Mexican border within the ten
mile limit for border crossings. Such
cards will be issued by immigrant
inspectors.
mo passports or permits of the
kind mentioned above will be requir-
ed of persons going to Canada, but
male persons of draft age will be re-
quired to carry permits issued by
their local boards.
THE entry and departure of all
seamen, both citizen and alien, will
be controlled under the new law,
through the issuance of seamen's
identity cards. Seamen's identity
cards will be issued to incoming sea-
men by the immigration officials and
to outgoing seamen by the customs
officials, both immigration and Gus
toms officials acting in this capacity
under the jurisdiction of the Depart
ment of State.
Permits to depart, when issued,
should be presented to the control
officer of the port of departure not
less than twenty-four hours before
the proposed date of sailing. The de-
parture of enemy aliens and allies of
enemy aliens will be governed by ex-
isting regulations until Septem-
J.,