Evening star., 1926-01-21
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
By PAUL !. COLLINS.

,. Russia ': Sea ndina Vi.n countries.
5oN- \ total cf go 10 al Europe
There is 4 disposition in Congress
and elsewhere TO give fun recognition
10 aliens bearing honorable discharges,
after serving the United States in con
junction with the allies, but il is de.
Cldred that one cannot est his cake
I a nd have il. too.
Some OF the veterans assumed that
their honorable discharges ma de them
American citizens. without further act
on their part. II simply made them
eligible TO become citizens. if they ap-
piled. Those who chose 10 return TO
their native Ia nds. instead OF availing
themselves OF American citizenship,
+ are TO-DAY upon the same quota status
as other natives of their respective
countries. Furthermore. upon reach
! ing their own countries. many we're
held there subject TO further military
duty before being permitted To mi
crate. No such thing ss dual citi-
Zenship" is recognized under United
States laws.
Aliens who have Ia wlully lived in
this country and desire to make =
visit To their native lands ma" get a
permit To DO so and return within siz
months-outside of the quota-but NOT
for 4 visit" of several Years II is
related that 4 certain Italia n lived in
Texas several years without applying
for citizenship. lie had an electric
OUTFIT for repairing shoes. He re
turned to Italy FOR a visit" taking
! with him the electric shoe shop. which
he set up in Rome for the quick repair
of shoes by the American method"
After years in Rome. he claimed the
privilege of returning to America. on
the ground that he had previously
| lived here. 1t was refused.
Uncle Sans arm is long enough to
! reach around the world in aid Of
worthy veterans and their depe ndents.
| This story is authentic: Two years
before the United States entered the
| World War. Russian In America
SEM his wife and children 10 Russia
| for visit. Later. he volunteered as
| soldier in the A. T.. r. and was killed
aid. by letter addressed TO President
Coolidge. The President forwarded
| the letter to the Veterans Bureau
with a request that effort be made to
rescue the widow and family. Cables
! directed all conSulS near the post Of
flee whence the appeal had been made
to seek the family. Within four DAYS
they were found and brought to the
consulate, whence they were brought
to America.
A soldier who had lost his memory
wandered from his home and was lost
| for two years. He was discovered in
Australia and brought home with
$4,000 cash in his pocket, which he
could not account for-money he had
| acquired in Australia.
! Another case of aphasia was that
of veritable tramp" picked up in
| Ca NADIA by the Canadian Soldiers
Civil Re.establishment, which CORE.
| spends TO our Veterans Bureau. He
was identified as a high officer in the
! United states Navy. and duly restored
10 his friends.
4 most cordial reciprocity Of serv.
ice exists between the Canadian and
! American bureaus for soldier relief
each looking after the needs Of the
natives Of the other. There is no
! such agreement Of reciprocal service
with France or Italy, as each country
prefers to handle its own cases
through it's consuls.
Not long ago, a British naval man
died in Washington. and four hours
before his funeral a friend appealed
to the Veterans Bureau for aid in
securing British flag with which to
drape the casket. 1t was procured
from the British embassy, where. by
chance. was discovered Scotch
VI lHc ucCCdSSu f1c Was
permitted to don his Highland uni,
form and to attend the funeral as the
only direct mourner. Even upon such
short notice the Veterans Bureau
was able to provide an American fir.
/ ing squad 10 give the soldier-salutc
above the honored Srave-a tribute
which was deeply appreciated by the
British embassy. as we'll as by the
fse9tss 'eosvriss, sDdds; fess. s.u ', Collins,