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Show FOREIGNERS BECOME CITIZENS OF THE ONITED STATES District Judge Arthur E. Pratt today to-day conferred the honor of American citizenship upon Andrew Young Richmond Rich-mond formerly of Canada, and William Wil-liam Gette, from France, after they passed, with p. high average of efficiency, effi-ciency, the searching examination of Pnul Armstrong, the federal government's govern-ment's special examiner. Ate Boerema. of The Netherlands, also was an applicant, but decision In his case was continued until March to give hi man opportunity to lenrn more about the principles of Amerl can government Mi- Armstrong is an expert on naturalization nat-uralization laws. After the session be was asked whe ther American citizens, native born, who enlist in a foreign! army or navy, taking the oath of allegiance al-legiance to the foreign ruler, forfeit thereby their rights as American cit-1 iz -us "That's an open legal question," he-replied. he-replied. "H is one, too, which con-1 gress will probably have to settle by new legislation at no distant day, because be-cause so many Americans are serving in the European war. Some courts have decided that such foreign enlistment enlist-ment and oath of renunciation and allegiance al-legiance constitutes a forfeiture of American citizenship, while other courts have held the opposite opinion. "Until now and even now. our gov-eminent, gov-eminent, like other governments, has been lenient and liberal toward adventurers ad-venturers of that kind, for so many foreigners have enlisted in the same' way In the wars of our own country From now on, however, complicated questions concerning citizenship may arise in many" cases, on account of the enlistments of Americans in Europe Eu-rope and it may become ner ssmrv for congress lo deal with 'he problem." Mr. Armstrong said he was aware of ihe complications which might artec if such expatriated Americans were to return to the United States and be elected to office. The constitution, consti-tution, he said, provide? that certain persons are American citizens, and no provision is made for expatriation in the case of native-born Americans ! Naturalized citizens who leave Amerl-I Amerl-I ca and reside abroad two years without with-out statin gthoir intentions according to lav are regarded as having forfeited forfeit-ed their American citizenship. on enlisting In the British or Ger-l Ger-l man military or naval service, the ap-' ap-' pUcanl is compelled to renounce all allegiance to any foreign country, especially es-pecially renouncing allegiance to she country of his birth. Returning to America, after committing this act of expatriation, and becoming involved in difficulties, such person legally could claim the rights and immunities of a British subject, for instance. Mr. Armstrong said that this prob-l prob-l m opens up serious legal difficulties which could be solved only by congress, con-gress, or, perhaps, by the supreme court. . rwi |
