5: A State of War:
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The President's Proclamation of
April 6, 1917
Whereas, The Congress of the United States, in the exercise of the
constitutional authority vested in them, have resolved by joint
resolution of the Senate and House of Representatives, bearing date
this day, that a state of war between the United States and the
Imperial German Government, which has been thrust upon the United
States, is hereby formally declared;
Whereas, It is provided by Section 4067 of the Revised Statutes as
follows:
Whenever there is declared a war between the United States and
any foreign nation or Government, or any invasion or predatory
incursion is perpetrated, attempted or threatened against
the territory of the United States by any foreign nation or
Government, and the President makes public proclamation of the
event, all natives, citizens, denizens or subjects of a hostile
nation or Government being male of the age of fourteen years and
upward who shall be within the United States and not actually
naturalized shall be liable to be apprehended, restrained,
secured, and removed as alien enemies.
The President is authorized in any such event, by his proclamation
thereof or other public acts, to direct the conduct to be observed on
the part of the United States toward the aliens who become so liable;
the manner and degree of the restraint to which they shall be subject
and in what cases and upon what security their residence shall be
permitted and to provide for the removal of those who, not being
permitted to reside within the United States, refuse or neglect to
depart therefrom, and to establish any such regulations which are
found necessary in the premises and for the public safety;
Whereas, By Sections 4068, 4069, and 4070 of the Revised Statutes
further provision is made relative to alien enemies;
Now, therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim to all whom it may concern that a state of
war exists between the United States and the Imperial German
Government, and I do specially direct all officers, civil or military,
of the United States that they exercise vigilance and zeal in the
discharge of the duties incident to such a state of war, and I do,
moreover, earnestly appeal to all American citizens that they, in
loyal devotion to their country, dedicated from its foundation to the
principles of liberty and justice, uphold the laws of the land and
give undivided and willing support to those measures which may be
adopted by the constitutional authorities in prosecuting the war to a
successful issue and in obtaining a secure and just peace;
And acting under and by virtue of the authority vested in me by the
Constitution of the United States and the said sections of the Revised
Statutes:
I do hereby further proclaim and direct that the conduct to be
observed on the part of the United States toward all natives,
citizens, denizens, or subjects of Germany, being male, of the age of
fourteen years and upward, who shall be within the United States and
not actually naturalized, who for the purpose of this proclamation and
under such sections of the Revised Statutes are termed alien enemies,
shall be as follows:
All alien enemies are enjoined to preserve the peace toward the
United States and to refrain from crime against the public safety
and from violating the laws of the United States and of the States
and Territories thereof, and to refrain from actual hostility or
giving information, aid or comfort to the enemies of the United
States, and to comply strictly with the regulations which are
hereby or which may be from time to time promulgated by the
President, and so long as they shall conduct themselves in
accordance with law they shall be undisturbed in the peaceful
pursuit of their lives and occupations and be accorded the
consideration due to all peaceful and law-abiding persons,
except so far as restrictions may be necessary for their own
protection and for the safety of the United States, and toward
such alien enemies as conduct themselves in accordance with law
all citizens of the United States are enjoined to preserve the
peace and to treat them with all such friendliness as may be
compatible with loyalty and allegiance to the United States.
And all alien enemies who fail to conduct themselves as so enjoined,
in addition to all other penalties prescribed by law, shall be
liable to restraint or to give security or to remove and depart
from the United States in the manner prescribed by Sections 4069
and 4070 of the Revised Statutes and as prescribed in the regulations
duly promulgated by the President.
And, pursuant to the authority vested in me, I hereby declare and
establish the following regulations, which I find necessary in the
premises and for the public safety:
First. An alien enemy shall not have in his possession at any time
or place any firearms, weapons, or implement of war, or component
parts thereof; ammunition, Maxim or other silencer, arms or explosives
or material used in the manufacture of explosives.
Second. An alien enemy shall not have in his possession at any
time or place, or use or operate, any aircraft or wireless apparatus,
or any form of signaling device, or any form of cipher code or any
paper, document or book written or printed in cipher, or in which
there may be invisible writing.
Third. All property found in the possession of an alien enemy in
violation of the foregoing regulations shall be subject to seizure
by the United States.
Fourth. An alien enemy shall not approach or be found within one-half
of a mile of any Federal or State fort, camp, arsenal, aircraft
station, Government or naval vessel, navy-yard, factory or workshop
for the manufacture of munitions of war or of any products for the
use of the army or navy.
Fifth. An alien enemy shall not write, print or publish any attack
or threat against the Government or Congress of the United States,
or either branch thereof, or against the measures or policy of the
United States, or against the persons or property of any person
in the military, naval or civil service of the United States,
or of the States or Territories, or of the District of Columbia,
or of the municipal governments therein.
Sixth. An alien enemy shall not commit or abet any hostile acts
against the United States, or give information, aid or comfort to
its enemies.
Seventh. An alien enemy shall not reside in or continue to reside in,
to remain in or enter any locality which the President may from time
to time designate by an executive order as a prohibitive area in
which residence by an alien enemy shall be found by him to constitute
a danger to the public peace and safety of the United States except
by permit from the President and except under such limitations or
restrictions as the President may prescribe.
Eighth. An alien enemy whom the President shall have reasonable
cause to believe to be aiding or about to aid the enemy, or to be
at large to the danger of the public peace or safety of the United
States, or to have violated or to be about to violate any of these
regulations, by executive order, and shall not remove therefrom
without permit, or shall depart from the United States if so required
by the President.
Ninth. No alien enemy shall depart from the United States until he
shall have received such permit as the President shall prescribe,
or except under order of a Court, Judge or Justice, under Sections
4069 and 4070 of the Revised Statutes.
Tenth. No alien enemy shall land in or enter the United States
except under such restrictions and at such places as the President
may prescribe.
Eleventh. If necessary to prevent violation of the regulations,
all alien enemies will be obliged to register.
Twelfth. An alien enemy whom there may be reasonable cause to
believe to be aiding or about to aid the enemy, or to be at large
to the danger of the public peace or safety, or who violates or
who attempts to violate or of whom there is reasonable grounds to
believe that he is about to violate any regulation to be promulgated
by the President or any criminal law of the United States or of
the States or Territories thereof, will be subject to summary arrest
by the United States, by the United States Marshal or his deputy or
such other officers as the President shall designate, and to
confinement in such penitentiary, prison, jail, military camp,
or other place of detention as may be directed by the President.
This proclamation and the regulations herein contained shall extend
and apply to all land and water, continental or insular, in any way
within the jurisdiction of the United States.
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