Evening star., 1941-02-02
Loopholes in CitizenshipLaws
Eliminated by Nationality Act
Legislation Backed by American Bar Prevents
Abuse of Privileges and Repeats
Outmoded Regulations
BY WilIiatn A. MiHen.

By William
A Magma Charta of naturalization and
American citizenship-long the ambition
of the American Bar Association-has
Just become the law of the land.
Known oficially as the Nationality Act
OF 1910, it defines the rights of women
and children, sets up rigid requirements
for the privilege of American citizenship
and repeals a host of laws that stood in
the way of this sweeping reform.
Under this new statute, the nationality
laws of the Nation are revised and codi-
fled. Approved by the President Oc-
tober IA, the new enactment. by its terms,
officially became effective 80 days from
that date.
This achievement represents wealth
of committee work, in and out Of Con-
gress. 1t is described as the first piece of
legislation that the American Bar Asso-
citation has been able to get through Con-
gress in decade.
Persons living abroad, yet claiming to
be American citizens, will have to MAIN
tain more concrete ties with the United
States if they wish to retain their cit
izenship in this Nation. Hitherto, nu-
merous citizens have earned their for
tunes here and then gone abroad to
spend their declining days, where the
rate of exchange favored a more rea-
sonable scale of living, yet they main
tanned a fiimsy connection with the U.
s. A. The new statute is designed to put
an end to that situation.
Favored by Army and Navy.
The Army and Navy we're keen for this
legislation, considering it an important
aid to the national defense.
The code places in orderly arrange
ment the nationality laws, which hereto
fore were scattered among more than 40
statutes, and it clarifies the language in
many of the sections and repeals contra
dictory sections.
The code is designed to block loopholes
in existing statutes, which virtually sub
jected the United States Government to
liability of fraud by persons living abroad
and claiming citizenship
According to informed officials, the
new legislation stopped the gap which
permitted thousands of persons who
never lived for any length of time in the
United States and never intended to re-
main, to claim citizenship when it suited
their convenience"
Deemed expatriated under the new
legislation are native or naturalized citi-
Zens who become naturalized in a foreign
state; those who formally renounce their
citizenship in the United States Of
America; deserters from the military or
naval forces, when they are convicted by
court-martial; those who serve in a for
eign army, unless authorized to do so
by the laws of the United States; those
who serve as officials in foreign coun-
try, where only nationals of the country
are eligible, and those voting in political
elections abroad.
Government of1cials claim as an ad-
vantage of the new law the fact that it
will facilitate the administration of the
statute, by its arrangement and clarifi-
cations. Further, they assert, it will be
particularly helpful to officials of Gov
ernment, at home and abroad.
Those charged with the duty of finger
printing aliens will be aided, in the
opinion Of informed authorities, because
there is an easily-available rulebook to
determine II one Is citizen or an alien.
Roosevelt Asked Legislation.
Urging adoption of the code were
President Roosevelt, who deemed the
recodidcation an emergency measure;
the State Department. which voiced its
Endorsement through Counselor r. Wal
ton Moore: the War Department and the
Navy Department In addition. the
American Bar Association and number
of civilian groups advocated early en-
actment of the bill by the Congress.
In special message TO Congress,
President Roosevelt on June Is, 1888,
urged this legislation and transmitted
with it a special report of committee
that the Chief Executive had named
some five years earlier. The House
Committee on immigration and Natural
ization, under craftsmanship of Repre-
sentative Samuel Dickstein, Democrat,
of New York, then began consideration
of the complex problem.