The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1918-01-16
PERSHING ONLY ALIEN IN
FRANCE TO MOVE FREELY

Paris, Dec. %. (By maiD-General
Pershing is the only American in
France who. can leave. the country
without asking permission to do so
two weeks in advance. The United
States embassy, the consul general
and all of the consuls throughout
France have been notified by the sec
retary of state to hold up all persons
departing for America for two weeks
before using their passports.
The object of this long delay and
the rigorous Investigation made into
the identity and activity of every one
le wing France is to prevent as far as
p, 5sible the ingress of pro-Germans
into the United States and to decrease
the acts of sabotage which have been
committed-the blowing up of
bridges, munitions factories, ships
etc.
All civilians VINO attempt to 20 to
the United States must make appli-
cation to che en- oassy or the consul at
least two .waaks before they wish to
sail. Any officer or enlisted men in
the eXpeditionary force Of the United
States army who wishes to return
home must produce proper credentials
and orders of movement from his su-
perior officer. This applies equally
to the "men higher up" with the ex-
ception of the commander-in-chief of
the American army in France.
"We have received orders from
Secretary Lansing to take every pos
sble step to prevent enemy aliens or
pro- German Americans from getting
to the United States," said Alexander
M. Thackera, consul general in dis
cussing the situation.
"Of course true American citizen
in good standing and with clear con-
science will have no trouble in iden-
tifying, himself and proving his irgnt
to get home. There will be delay
perhaps tedious, as it amounts to ct
least two weeks. But any sensible
person will realize the gravity of thc
war and will not resent questionin~
and examination, and minute scrr-
tiny Of his papers and certain
amount or delving into his privar.
business.
"There have been a good many Ger
man agents reaching the United
States during the past six months
We are no sure that they got there
via France. Theyamay go chiefly via
the scandinavian d" countries ur Via
Holland. But in order to safeguard
the situation to the limit the utmost
prccaution will be exercised.
"1n the case of men in the army in
France or Americans in the French
service, aviation, artillery, infantry or
ambulance work, and with Red Cross
or Y. NJ. G.. A. attaches, we are per-
mltted to use certain amount of dis
cretiSn. If such men come here with
a months furlough for the United
States and have their proper orders
and papers we do not hold them up
two weeks and thus consume half Of
their holiday. We investigate as rap
idly as possible and often are able to
wise their papers and let them go
right through.
"One must have business reasons to
travel these days as our rules. are so
strict that it is very hard to travel for
pleasure. If person living over here
and not engaged in business wishes to
return to America to see his or her
relatives or make a visit the chances
are that it can be arranged, but it
probably will be very hard for that
individual to get back to France
again.
"We work in connection with the
and these officials are doing all in
their power to prevent Americans
Americans from coming over here un-
less they have real and important
business. The food situation is too
acute here, there is scarcely more
than enough to 90 around, and there
must be no useless alien mouths to
feed if it can be avoided.
"The same restrictions are taken in
Great Britain, in the Scandinavian
countries, in Holland, Switzerland
Ttolu CnoiY, onJ po,+,no1v