Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-05-23

hould be able to produce evidence a
this kind, but the trouble arises
when it comes to producing it on
unexpected short notice. 1t causes de-
lay and annoyance, and rhc time re-
quired to produce such proof has
often made necessary the cancel
lation of passages already booked,
and sometimes has resulted in the
abandonment of plans to go abroad.
Emergency Passports Possible
Business men who come East with
the idea that the securing of a pass
port is an easy matter, as it was be-
fore the war and then find them
selves in a maze of red tape and
regulations, are occasionally issued
emergency passports, provided they
can supply unquestioned proof that
they have urgent business abroad.
Or, in the case of other applicants,
if it can be proved that their pres
ence abroad is needed for important
personal or family reasons, such
documents may be issued.
Next in importance to the proof
of citizenship in securing the pass
port is the requirement that the
applicant must produce a witness at
the passport agency who will swear
that the applicant is the person he
represents himself to be. This is not
always the easiest thing in the world
to do, especially if it must be done
in a hurry.
Another thing to be remembered
is that a passport is valid only
twelve months. If the holder wishes
to go abroad again at the end of
the year, he must present his old
passport in person, Or send 1t to the
passport agency, with a request for
its extension, which will then be is
sued, but only for another twelve
month period, and If he Is so much
as a day late with his request he
will not get the extension.
Naturalized citizens are required
to submit their naturalization papers
as proof of citizenship. Women and
children under twenty-one years of
age may travel on their husbands
or their fathers passports If the
family is travelling together, but wo-
men and children travelling alone
must have separate passports.
Passports must be Vised for each
country which the traveller plans to
visit and the fees amount to a tidy
sum il the tour is to be an extended
one. There are also numerous Vexa-
tious questions to be answered by
the applicants, photographs to be
supplied, and other requirements
that tend to take the joy out of a
foreign tour before it is even started.
On the whole, it is not surprising
that there is a demand for some
modification Of the passport reguia-
lions, and that rulings have already
been made that minimize the re-
quirements to a certain degree. Sec
rotary of State Hughes, for instance,
has held that it will no longer be
necessary for an applicant to sub.
: init documentary proof as to the
objects of his trip abroad. He may
Indicate that the reasons for his
trip abroad with one or two words
such as health, recreation, education
visiting relatives, relief work, busi,
ness. etc. President Harding has also
ruled that in the matter of renew
ais of expired original passports is
sued subsequently, to January 3
1918, to which are attached photo
, graphs and signatures of the hold
ers, the old passports will be &C
cepted in lieu of identifying witness
es if they are sent to Washington
with the applications.
As to the troublesome condition
to be met in the matter OF provin,
neutrality-suspicious. birth certif
Gates, identifying witnesses. and tn
, like-Government officials say 1
will be Impossible to change them
, There are just certain ways of pro
> ducing such proof, and there mus
be proof.