Evening star., 1926-10-12

Certain newspapers Of the United
States appear to attach great i'm
portance to the fact that dual citizen
ship is discovered in q dozen cases
wherein France claims the right to
force naturalized French Americans
into military service in the French
army-as if these instances marked a
new departure in international rela-
tions. and were especially fragrant
abuses by France. .
Belligerent editors of metropolitan
dailies are crying, 1.-THE Government
should insist that the rights of It's
nationals travelling abroad be re-
spected in their full integrity" Even
the Literary Digest opens discus
sion of the alleged infringement OF
American rights with this paragraph:
"It was a fighting matter in the
days when our Nation was much
Younger and perhaps more belligerent,
when European nations impressed
American citizens into their armed
forces. In fact, that was one cause OF
our war with Great Britain in 1872.
Now France is doing that very thing. y
According to high authority in the
Government, France is not doing
what Great Britain did prior to our
War of 1912, and the failure to diff
ferentiate on that point leads to most
of the present confusion. The Brit
ish stopped our ships on the high
seas and forced American natives into
the British navy. France has never
undertaken to modest an American
upon American soil, but sets up a
claim-not fully conceded by Amer
ica-that she has a right to force
native Frenchmen into military serv-
ice, when they come into French jul
risdction, regardless of, their having
undertaken to eXpatriate themselves
and become naturalized citizens of the
United States.
Further than that, France claims
that a grandchild of a Frenchman,
although the child was born in the
United States Of a naturaliZed French
father residing in America. is sub
ject to French military service, in
case he be caught while visiting
France or any Of Frances colonies.
But France is not gathering in nat
uralized Americans who are discreet
enough to keep out of French juris-
diction. 1t is claimed that any gov
ernment may, If 1t sees fit. forbid
emigration, or permit it only with
| limitations, reserving rights to claim
| military service Of the emigrant and
| his sons.
| The critics appear not to know that
, the United States also makes claims
| upon its natives, even after they be-
| come naturalized citizens of other
| countries. The claims are not usually
| enforced. except in time of'war; the
| United States Is not so desperately
| in need of personnel for its Army
and Navy as are the European coun-
| tries.
Under our law who is an American
national?
| J.. Every man or woman born In
! the United States, regardless or the
nationality of the parents. This IN,
| cludes Chinese and Japanese, as well
as Europeans.
| 2. Also. every child Of an Ameri-
| can father, no matter where the blrtn
takes place. This includes children
of missionaries and merchants resld-
| ing abroad.
8. Legally naturalized aliens. SO
long as they remain In the OnltSo
States, or are only temporarily
| abroad.
D.! The British law is similar to ours
for ours Is derived from the British
Formerly the British did not recog-
nize naturalization of British IN
America-they remained under Brit
ish obligations. if they were found
in British territory-but in 1870 Par'
! lament changed the law, and now
| when a British subject becomes a
naturalized American he ceases TO be
| obligated by British laws, military
or other. France Italy and most OF
the other nations Of Europe have
never agreed to waive their hold upon
their nationals, regardless of the eiti
zens' efforts to expatriate themselves
and become naturalized citizens OF
other countries.
For more than a year Ambassador
Fletcher has been in active negotia
tions with Italy and France, under
direction of the Department OF State
looking to treaties adjusting all mat
ters If dual citizenship and recogni
tion of our naturalization of their re
snective nationals. These negOtia
tions are progressing favorably and
when agreed to, will become the mod
els for treaties with all other nations
The question Of international law