The Commoner
APRIL, 1317
15
Proclamation of
Warning
A Washington dispatch, dated April 16, says:
All persona in the United States, citizens and
aliens, are warned in a proclamation issued to
day by President Wilson that treasonable acts
or attempts to shield those committing such
acts will be vigorously prosecuted by the gov
ernment. Far-reaching importance attaches to
the direction of the warning to aliens and the
declaration that "resident aliens as well as cit
izens owe allegiance to the United States," and
therefore are equally subject to the laws against
treason, and like crimes.
At war the United States is in a very different
position from a neutral. Bomb plotters may
now be gripped with an iron hand. Not only
are conspirators themselves subject Jo heavy
penalties, but anyone, even a German resident
who has knowledge and fails to make known
the facts to the authorities may be sent to pris
on for seven years and fined $1,000.
THE PRESIDENT'S PROCLAMATION
The President's proclamation follows:
"Whereas, All persons in the United States,
citizens as well as aliens, should be informed
of the penalties which they will incur for any
failure to bear true allegiance to the United
States.
"Now, Therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, presi
dent of the United States, hereby issue this
proclamation to call especial attention to the
following provisions of the constitution and
laws of the United States.
"Section 3 of Article III of the constitution
provides in part: 'Treason against the United
States shall consist only in levying war against
them, or in adhering to their enemies-, giving
them aid and comfort.'
"The criminal code of the United States pro
vider: -
" " 'Section 1. Whoever, owing allegiance to
the United States levies war against them or
adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and
comfort within the United States or elsewhere
is guilty of treason.
" 'Section 2. Whoever is convicted of treason
shall suffer death; or, at the discretion, of the
court, shall be imprisoned noi less than five
years and fined not less than $10,000, to be
levied on and collected out of any or all of his
property, real and personal, of which he was
the owner at the time of committing such
treason, any sale or conveyance to the contrary
notwithstanding and every person so convicted
of treason, shall, moreover, bo incapable of
holding any office under the United States.
,f 'Section 3. Whoever owing allegiance to
the United States and having knowledge of the
commission of any treason against them con
ceals and does not as soon as may be, disclose
and make known the same to the President or
to some judge of the United States or to the
government or to some judge or justice of a
particular state is guilty of misprision of treason
and shall be imprisoned not more than seven
years and fined not more than $1,000.
" 'Section 4. If Iwo or more persons in any
state or territory, or in any place subject to the
jurisdicition of the United States, conspire to
overthrow, put down, or destroy by force the
government of the United States or to levy 'war
against them, or to oppose by force the author
ity thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder or
delay the execution of any law of the United
States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any
property of the United States contrary to the
authority thereof, they shall each be fined not
more than $5,000, or Imprisoned not more than
six years, or both.'
ACTS THAT ARE TREASONABLE
-
"The courts of the United States nave stated
the following acts to be treasonable:
"T,he- use or attempted use of any force or
violence against the government . of the United
States or its military or naval forces.
"The acquisition, use, or disposal of any
property with knowledge that it is to be, or
with intent that it shall be of assistance to the
enemy in their hostilities against the United
States.
"The performance of any act or the publica
tion of statements or, information which will
give or supply, in any way, aid and comfort to
the enemies of the United States.
"The direction, aiding, counseling, or coun
tenancing of any of tho foregoing acta.
"Such acta are held to bo treasonable wheth
er committed within tho United States or else
where; whether committed by a citizen of the
United States or by an alien domiciled, or re
siding, In the United States inasmuch as resi
dent aliens, as well as citizens, owe alleglanco
to tho United States and Its laws.
"Any such citizen or alien who has knowl
edge of the commission of such acts and con
ceals and does not make known the facts to tho
officials named in section 3 of the penal code, is
guilty of misprision of treason.
"And I hereby proclaim and warn all citizens
of the United States and all aliens owing alle
giance to the government of tho United States
to abstain from committing any and all acts
which would constitute a violation of any of
the laws herein set forth; and I further pro
claim and warn all persons, who may commit
such acts that they will bo vigorously prose
cuted therefore.
"In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal of the United Staites
to be affixed.
"Done at the city of Washington, the six
teenth day of April in the year of our Lord one
thousand nine hundred and seventeen, and of
the independence of the United States of Amer
ica, the one hundred and forty-first. By the presi
dent: "WOODROW WILSON.
"ROBERT LANSING, Sec'y of State."
WAR AND PROiniHTION
From the Charlotte (N. C.) Observer, Feb.
13, 1917.
If war must come, Colonel Bryan might recon
cile himself the more readily to it by reason of
the single circumstance that It will bring about
an immediate agitation for national suppression
of the liquor traffic, the same as was done to
some extent in France, in "England and in Rus
sia. In anticipation of the coming of war the
proposition for national prohibition has been
already sprung In Ohio. The "prohibition of the
liquor traffic, leaders in that cause are arguing,
would save the United States In dollars and
cents as much as would be the cost of main
taining an army of 2,000,000 men. It Is
claimed that the business interests, in Ohio and
tho western section generally would get behind
a movement to make prohibition nationwide.
Congressman Cooper, who represents an Ohio
district, is expected to take the lead in this mat
ter in case war breaks out. The argument Is
that Russia preferred cutting off the supply of
vodka and losing the revenue therefrom to hav
ing conditions of demoralization prevailing in
t'me of war, and the point is made that If Rus
sia could get along without the revenue from
vodka, the United States could do equally as
well without the revenue from whiskey. It Is
possible that the Ohio idea is just a little in ad
vance of governmental contemplation. The
United States navy has been on a prohibition
basis during four years of peace. It Is natural
to suppose that with the coming of actual war,
the army would be placed upon the same basis,
and restrictions thrown upon the liberties, of the
people, themselves, in this regard. The govern
ment might not be contemplating absolute pro
hibition, but that one of. its first actions would
be the throwing of restrictions around the li
quor traffic there can be no doubt. It is in this
situation that Colonel Bryan and kindred spirits
may find their opportunity for the bringing about
of an absolute prohibition of the traffic while
the country is at war. There will be no occasion
for President Wilson taking the total abstinence
pledge, as did the King of England, but that
there will be a tightening, of the national drink
ing privileges there is small room for doubt.
W. W. Rounds, N. Y. Mr. Bryan will con
tinue to have my influence and assistance in his
fight against the saloon as he always has had.
in the past, and if possible I will do more, as I
believe he has now entered into the greatest
battle of his life, and may God give him health
and strength to carry .the fight to a finish. I
have talked with a number of my farmer friends
and they all with one accord give him praise for
his new undertaking. All of them, think ho I .
sure to win out.
Tim.rAGTFIB'ri EYMHT& T?mt w,tn
William Jonnlngg Bryan, the mokinklnd
ent nnd fearless loader of democracy, tho an
nounced pacifist and tho donounced so-called
"pcace-at-any-prlco" odvocato, has offored lil
services to his government In tho war In any ca
pacity tho need of the nation demands.
He offers IiIk sorvlccs, not as a leader of an
army as Theodore Roosevelt aspires, but In tho
capacity of a private, If his government no de
cides. Ho doo8 not qualify his ofTor ho Im
poses no restrictions; he makes no reservations-
ho voluntcors his all in any service for tho
nation.
Thero is nothing surprising In Mr. Bryan's
attitude; ho Is first of all a patriot; he ablioni
war, yet Is willing to fight for country when war
comes.
Mr. Bryan offers his country no more than
thousands of othor good Americans who enlist
to Bervo tholr country in tho crisis yet one
can not help contrasting the patriotic attitude
of tho much-reviled pacifist with tho apparently
backward attitude of some of the most fronzlcd
war shoutcrs who have so bitterly mallgnod tho
groat commoner.
Tho world's, most distinguished out-and-out
pacifist has enlisted for war; tho country breath
lessly awaits the grand rush of the Jingo ed
itors, war-shouting politicians, ultra-bellicose
statesmen and pseudo patriots toward tho re
cruiting stations.
Don't crowd, gentlemen! Mllwaukeo News.
NEW COMMONER READEK8
(Continued from Pago 12.)
Kumblo, Miss F. S., Ala., 2; Brown, Chas. H.,
111., 0; Clark, S. E., (1; Conner, Thos., In., 6;
Roinecko, H. W., Tex., 17; Moore, Ilfchafd,
Okla., 5; Wolf, Dr, B. F., Kcpncr, H. F Ind., C;
Elias, Alden J., Pa., 0; Barnes, A. 8., Orcg., 6;
Dyer, G. M., W. Va 6; Crawford, Levi, Pa., G;
Bryan, .1. L., Ark., G; Hughes, B. W., Ky G;
Fcroe, Helmer M., Minn., 7; Ratllff, J. M., Ala.,
3; Keatuloy, G. W., W. Va., 3; Hamilton, Mrs.
A., Fla 2; Coleman, F. M., N. Y., 2; Huston,
T. W., Mo., 17; Sellers, A. A., Ohio, 2; Brand,
A. B., S. D., 2; McKinney, B. II., Fla., 2; Mb
Closkey, Jos., ind., 1; Gentry, N. H., Mo., 1;
Leo, J. .W., Wash., 4 ; Planck, Jos. Webb, Nov,,
2; Sprigg, J. E., Va., 3; O'Sulllvan, Jno., Wis.,
6; Lester, L. B., Miss., 8; Reed, E. D la., 7;
Ayers, Nella G., Cal., 6; McCorkle, T. M., W.
Va., 8; Llsenbo, J. C, Tex., 4; Wheeler, S. C
Vt., 3; Luke, Geo. W Ohio, 1; Fink, P. H., la.,
3; Cleveland, Cynthia E., D. C, 2; Mold, Geo.
H Minn., 2; Collins, W. V N. Y., 3; Myern,
S. H., Ky., 6; Christiansen, M. H Neb., B;
Hensley, J. M Cal., G; Baker, W. P., Minn., 2;
Mabons, H. A., Ia 1; Smith, W. T Ky 1;
Sundermoler, Fred, Mont., 2; WIJboii.O, Ches
ter, Minn., 1; Hicks, Wm. M Okla., 2; Rothe
myer, W. H., N. Y., 4; Peart, J. A., Ky., 2; Nelr
son, P. C, Wash. ,G; Conlon, R. P., N. J G;
Schaap, A. J., la., 6; Kempe, Peter, Minn., 6;
Walmen, J. H., HI., 6; Davis, Geo. W., Ia G;
Blunt, Walter C, Va 9; Eye, C. C, Calif., 6;.,
Ramsay, Jno. L.f Wash., 4; Hallum, J. M.,
Okla,, 2; Kimmel, A. J., Neb., 2; Harvey, E. O.,
Ind., 2; Burke, Kate 0., Tex., 1; Shirley, E. A.,
la., 2; Sever, Walter L N. Mex G; Williams,
W. C, Ga., 10; Mitchell, Mrs. Jno. E., Wash., 6.
NEW HAMPSHIRE DRY IN 1018
A Concord, N. H., dispatch, dated April 17,
says: Today Governor Keyes signed the Lewjs
bill, passed by the legislature last week, which
will make prohibition effectivefn this state oh
May 1, 1918.
A filibuster is a legislative course of action
that Is intended to or deprives you of getting'
through what you want put through. A justi
fiable course of action is one that proven ts'yoirr
opponents from winning. v k
H',:i
0 .o-
... ii
0 WANTED THE NAMES AND AD-
DRESSES OF ALL DEMOCRATIC AND 0
INDEPENDENT VOTERS WHO ARE
WILLING TO ASSIST MR. BRYAN IN .
the work of driving the liquor ,
interests out of the demq- ,...
.cratig party and out of thb
nation, ;,;: ,,&,
IVl C g i m , j-. A0 fi it tS
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