Evening star., 1939-09-07
Avenues Are Left
0pen for American
Adventures in War
Could Enlist in French
Or Polish Army Without
Losing Citizenship

American citizens bent on enlist
ing in foreign armies might expert
ence plenty of trouble-or none-at
the hands of their own Government.
Criminal prosecution of citizens
enlisting with foreign army while
within this country's jurisdiction or
being hired by another person to 60
outside this country to enlist is
promised under neutrality laws cited
in President Rooseyelt's proclama-
tion Tuesday.
Furthermore, persons who would
escape prosecution by voluntarily
leaving the United States to enlist
would lose their citizenship if the en-
listment involved taking an oath Of
allegiance to foreign power.
To fight in the regiments of
Great Britain person must be a
British subject, but to wear the uni
form of France requires no such
sworn allegiance.
French and Polish Cited.
Outside the regular French For
eign Legion-which citizens of other
countries may join without taking a
formal oath of allegiance-the
French fighting forces have detach-
ments composed of foreigners who
enlist similarly.
Likewise, an American citizen may
join the Polish army without taking
formal oath of allegiance An
attache at the Polish Embassy ex-
planned in answer to an inquiry that
enlistment Of foreign citizens with
that governments fighting forces is
done on a sort of contractual basis
with no action required which would
deprive them of citizenship In their
homelands.
The attache stated that hundreds
of letters, kilograms and personal
calls had been received from Ameri-
can citizens-both of Polish descent
and notwithstanding their serv-
ices. The spokesman explained that
the callers had been directed to the
United States neutrality laws.
No Record Of Conviction.
There Is no record of a conviction
under laws expressly forbidding en-
listment Of American nationals with
foreign powers while within the
| jurisdiction of the United States
though the laws have been in effect
since World War days.
Efforts were made to enforce them
against enlistment of Americans for
service in the recent Spanish Civil
War. An exemplary case involving
alleged violation was dropped by the
Justice Department only recently
because of lack of evidence.
A Justice Department spokesman
commented today that reports of
violations of neutrality laws would
be looked into by the Federal Bu-
reau of Investigation and that
prosecution would follow according
to the evidence obtained.
President Roosevelt late yesterday
requested all police officers, sheriffs
and other law enforcement au-
| thorities to turn over to the F. B. I
any cases of neutrality law viola
/ tions.
The work of the bureau is expect
ed to be augmented greatly by po-
lice officers who have attended the
Justice Departments police academy
in recent years. 1t was pointed
out that approximately $50 gradu-
ates of this school are now on duty
with police forces in every section
of the country.
Won't Make Representations.
Since the statutes apply only tc
territory within the jurisdiction OF
the United States, this Govern
ment does not contemplate making
any representations to countries in
volved in the present European wal
in regard to enlistment of Ameri-
cans. During past years, United
States diplomats abroad have been
instructed in several instances tc
call the attention of Americans te
the laws, however, although no such
instructions have been sent out dur
ing the present crisis
During the Spanish civil strife
the State Department publicly
called attention to a section of the
laws providing that any American
citizen shall be deemed to have ex-
patriated himself when he has beer
naturalized in any foreign state ir
conformity with its laws, or wher
he has taken an oath of allegiance
to any foreign state"
The department at that time also
pointed out that American citizens
who enlist in foreign armies cannot
expect to receive the protection
which is ordinarily accorded by thi.
Government to it's citizens.
The laws cited by the President.
neutrality proclamation yesterday
include these provisions:
Every citizen of the United State!
who, within the territory or juris.
diction therefore accepts and exer.
cises commission to serve a foreign
prince, state, colony, district or peo.
pie in war, by land or by sea, agains
any prince, state, colony, distric
or people, with whom the Unitet