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The Commoner
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V0ft.H7, NO. 3.
Bresident Wilsori's War Proclamatidn
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At tho call of President Wilson, cc-n-
gross mot In extraordinary session April
, . 2, two weeks in advance of the date set
'by previous proclamation.
:v." On tho organization of the 65th con-
gross Champ Clark was re-electedspeak-
- or of tho house of representatives oy a
voto of 217 to 205.
0 President Wilson addressed congress
on the night of April 2. The address
will ho found on another page. A reso
lution declaring a state of war was im
mediately Introduced and referred to the
proper committees.
On April 4, the declaration of war
passed tho senate by a vote of 82 to 6.
On April 6, the house passed the war
resolution by a vote of 373 to 50.
President Wilson, on April 6, sighed
tho resolution of congress declaring a
state of war between the United States
and Germany, and then issued, a proc
lamation of war to the American popple.
The text of the war resolution and the
President's proclamation will be found
on this page.
The war nroclamation issued " bv ' Presfflerit
Wilson, at Washington, D. C, April 6, fol
lows: "Whereas, The congress of the ; United ,Stats,
' in tho exercise of the constitutional authority
vested in them, have resolved by joint, resolu
tion of tho senate and house of representatives,
bearing date this day, "that a state of war be
tween the United States and the imperial Qer
raan government, which has been thrust upon
the United States, is hereby formally' declared;
"Whereas, It Is provided by section. 40 6,7 of
Iho revised statutes as fbllowsi ; '.' '' " "" '''''
" 'Whenever there is declared a war between
tho United States and any foreign nation or
government or any invasion of predatory in
cursion is perpetrated, attempted or threatened
against the territory of Ine TJnitect' 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 14 years and upward, who shall
be within the United States arid;1 riot actually
naturalized, shall be liable to-be-apprehended,
restrained, secured and removed- as alien en
emies. . . - ,
AUTHORITY OP PRESIDENT
." 'The President is authorized In o,ny such
event by his proclamation thereof or other pub
lic adts to direct the oonduct to be observed on
tho part of the United StateB toward the aliens
who become so liable; the manner and degrees
of tho restraint to which they shall be subject
and in, .what cases and upon what security 'their
residence shall be permitted and tq. provide. for"
the removal of those -whot 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 407Q
oj'tfio' revised statutes, further provision is
tirade relative to alien enemies;
r"Now tiierqfore, I, Woodrow Wilson, Pres
ident, of the , United States of America, do here
by, proclaim, to all whom it may concern, that
a 'statue, qfwar exists between the United States
ahjd j;he jjiiperial German government, and! o
specially direct all officers, civil or military, of
IhQ.pnitfid States that they exercise vigilance
n&efci,,i the discharge of the" duties incident
to .sucb'a 'fjtate of war, and I do, moreover,
'6$rn$tl' Appeal to all American citizens that
y, in'pjpil devotion to their country, dedi
&te$v, from its foundation to the principle's of
Ylhtrid justice, uphold the, laws of the land
aW.yeundivided and willing support to thosp
easures&liich may be adopted by' the cbrist'i
tutionlr authorities In prcfsvecuting the War. to
a successful issue and in obtaining a secure and
just peace;
CONDUCT OF U. S. OFFICERS
"And, acting under and by virtue of the au
thority vested in me by. the constitution of the
United States and the said sections of the re
vised statutes;
"I do hereby further proclaim and direct
that the conduct to be observed on the part of
tho United Stat.es toward all native citizens,
denizens or subjects of Germany, being male, of
tho age of 14 years and upward, who shall bo
within the United States and not actually na
turalized, who for the purpose of this procla
mation 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 re
frain from crime against the public safety and
from1 violating the laws of the United States and
of the states and territories thereof and to re
frain from actual hostility or giving informa
tion, 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 Presi
dent and so long as they shall conduct them
selves in accordance with law they shall be un
disturbed in the peaceful pursuit of their liveg
and occupations and be accorded the consider
ation do to all peaceful and law-abiding per
sons, except so far aa restrictions may be neces
sary for their own protection and for the safety
of the United States and toward such alien en
emies as cbnduct themselves in accordance with
law, all citizens of the United States are en
joined 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 ytho fail to 'conduct
themselves as so enjoined in addition to all
other perialttes prescribed by law shall be liable
to restraint or to give security or to remove
and depart from the United States in the man
ner prescribed by sections 4069 and 4,070: of
the revised statutes and as prescribed in the
regulations duly promulgated by the President.
"And pursuant to the authority vested in pie,
I hereby declare and establish tjie folloijvinjg
regulations, which I Arid necessary In the prem
ises and for the public safety:
"1. An alien enemy shall not have in his pos
session at any time or place any firearms, weap
ons, or" implement of war, or component parts
thereof, ammunition, Maxim or other silencer,
arms, or explosives or materials used in the nian
Ufacturo ofSfixplosives.
"2. An alien enemy shall not have in his
possession at any time or place or use. or oper
ate, any aircraft or wireless, apparatus or any
form of signaling device or any form of cipher
code, or any paper, document or brok, written
pr printed in cipher, or in which there may be
invisible, writing.
'"3. 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.
US. PROPERTY RESTRICTION
"4. 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.
"5. An alien enemy shall not write, print or
publish any attack or threat against the govern
ment or congress of the United States or either
branch thereof, or against the measures or pol
icy, 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 Co
lumbia or of tho municipal governments, therein:
6, An alien enemy shall not commit or. abet
any hostile acts against the United -States or
give information, aid or comfort to its enemies
;. ",. ;. 'SAN ON RESIDENCE- "'" ' ; '
' -".!&; aeH ijiomy .snail, noV reside in" or
continue to' reside in; to remdin. in' dr. en'terTy
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THE WAR RESOLUTION
A Washington dispatch dated April
6, says: The war resolution, passed w
the United States senate arid the house
of representatives, is as follows-
"Whereas, The Imperial German KOv
ernment has committed repeated acTs
of war against the government and ti o
people of the Unitdd States of America'
therefore, be ft '
"Resolvedly the senate and house of
representatives of the United States o
Amer ca, in congress' assembled. Thit
the state of war between the Unit wi
States and the imperial German govern
ment which has thus been thrust unon
the United States is hereby formally dp
clared; and that the President be and
is hereby, authorized and directed to
employ the entire naval and military
forces of the United States and tho re
sources of the government to carry on
war against the imperial German gov
ernment, and to bring tho conflict to a
successful termination, all of the re
sources of "the country are hereby
pledged by the congress of the United
States."
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locality which tho President may from timo to
time designate by an executive order as a pro
hibitive area in which residence by an alien
shall be found by him to constitute a danger
to the public peace and safety of the United
States except by permit from tho President and
except under such limitations or restrictions as
tho President may pr ,ibe.
"8. An alien enemy whom the President shall
have, reasonable en - to believe to bo aiding or
about to aid the r ly or to be at large to the
danger o the pu; . peace or, safety of the
V&Mjpd States or to have vipjated or to bo about
to violate any of. tl'sso regulations shall remove
to any location designated by tho President by
executive order and shall not removo therefrom
without permit, or shall depart from the United
States if so required by the President.
DEPARTURE PERMITS
"9. No alien enemy shall depart from the
United States until he shall have received such
permit as the President shall prescribe or ex
cept under order of a court, judge or justice,
under sections 4069 and 4070 of tho revised
statutes.
"10. No alien enemy shall' land in or enter
the' United States except under such restrictions
atid at such places as the President may pre
scribe.' "11. If necessary, to prevent violation of the
regulations, all ali'en enemies will be obliged to
register.
"12. An alien enemy whom there may be
reasonable cause to believe to be aiding or
about to aid.. the enemy, or, who 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 promul
gated 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 marshal or his deputy or such
other officers as the President shall designate
and, confined in such. penitentiary, prison, jail,
military camp or other place of detention as
may, be directed by the President.
"Tliis; proclamation and the regulations here
in contained' shall extend and apply to all lanu
and water,TVontihental or insular, in any way
tfithin the 'jurisdiction of the United States.
' Nobody ever heard of a brewer or distiller
pursuing a course of conduct, that would meai
the shortening of his" business career, yet in
Anti-SaWn League, whichepmes m roc the im
t'efest criticism at the hands of the, wet groups
everywhere; ,jfo 'always working itself out of .a
Jqb7:hatd'uj2brtV cf- ?ii of menS
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