The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-08
LAWS HALT
QUICK WORK
IN MATRIM0NY
Red Tape Proves Exhausting
Matter to Bridal Couples
in Europe
SIX w E E X S J D Il
Matter of Citizenship Is Dis
turbing Element TO All
Countries
SIX w EEK S 20 =

Moscow, Aug. S.-When the Amer
lean Congress passed law annuling
the previous rule that a foreign wo-
man automatically became an Amer
lean citizen by marrying an Ameri-
can, it put Herculean difficulties IN
the path OF Dan Cupid in the docu-
ment cursed countries of Eastern
Europe most frequently by certain
tine type of young American men at
an age when they are very suscepti-
bic to pretty foreign girls and matri-
mony.
The American Relief Administra-
ton, the Near East Relief, the Y. M.
{. A. and other organizations which
since the war have conducted relief
operations in Poland, Austria. Greece,
Russia, the Balkans and the Baltic
states sent hundreds Of young Amer
leans, mostly former army officers,
into cities noted for their charming
girls.
Before the law became effective
last September, marriages Of Ameri-
cans to-, these girls was relatively
easy, although even then it involved
digging into records for documents,
more documents and still more doc
mcnts. Once this was accomplished,
however, all the young Americans
had to do was to 60 to the nearest
American consulate, have his, wife's
photograph pasted on his PASSPORT,
and, if he was ready, could take her
home an automatic American citizen
ess and show her proudly to his
folks.
But today things are different. A
few weeks ago one young member of
the Near East Relief mission in
Armenia got brief vacation and
came through Moscow on his way to
Warsaw to marry there a lovely Pol
ish girl who had waited for him two
years. They has met when he was
with. the American Red Cross and she
nurse on the Polish battlefelds
against the Russians.
"Ill be. back in ten days; save a
room for us at the hotel" the Amer
lean said blithely and confidently a.
he left Moscow.
Six weeks later he returned, with
his bride, having miraci,lousiy un-
tangled miles Of red tape and over
come, with the assistance Of every
official, Polish and American alike in
Warsaw and Moscow, obstacles that
left both bride and groom too tired to
enjoy a honeymoon.
In Poland woman automatically
takes on the citizenship of her hus-
band and, therefore, should lose her
Polish passport. American rules, due
to the new law, prevent consuls from
FASTING foreign wives pictures on
husbands passports. One cannot en-
ter Russia without a passport, and it
is particularly difficult for a Polish
subject to secure visa to enter Rus
STA at all. America law required
this couple to have two passports.
his American, hers Polish. Polish
law and the Russian difficulties in the
way of Poles entering, required them
to have one. and this American.
Finally the young man prevailed
upon the Polish authorities to give
his wife Polish passport, and upon
an American consular official to give
hlm letter stating the couple had
been legally married, although the
pride was not an American citizen.
Inc worried bridegroom pasted his
wife.s picture on the letter, attached
the letter to his own passport, and
finally got through.