"Citizenship and Expatriation"

Hon. Oscar S. Straus, United States Minister to Turkey, delivered a lecture last night in Sanders Theatre on the subject, "The United States Doctrine of Citizenship and Expatriation."

After sketching the history of diplomacy up to the time when international relations were adjusted by treaties, Mr. Straus went on to explain the complications arising out of conflicting claims of sovereignty and allegiance made by nations respecting their subjects. The United States, from the days of Jefferson until the present time, has always insisted upon the unrestricted right of expatriation as against the claims of indissoluble allegiance made by European nations as a result of their monarchical institutions. The chief cause of the War of 1812 was England's refusal to recognize the right of her subjects to become American citizens and the consequent claim of the right to impress American seamen of British origin into the English navy. The negotiations following this war led to no definite settlement of the question, nor did the discussion between Daniel Webster and Lord Ashburton.

Some of the leading nations of Europe, such as Prussia, the North German Union, Austria and Belgium were slow to recognize the position maintained by the United States and Great Britain did not finally yield until 1870, the date of our treaty of naturalization with that country.

The United States law of 1868, which provides that naturalized citizens of the United States shall be entitled when abroad to the same protection that is accorded native citizens, has been abused by a small but very trouble some class of foreigners who come to this country for no other purpose than to clothe themselves with our citizenship in order to escape the burdens of their original allegiance, and then return to their native countries. In our diplomacy many cases have occurred in which these so-called citizens have involved us in difficulties with foreign nations.

In conclusion Mr. Straus said that he does not advocate an abridgment of the American doctrines of citizenship and expatriation which are so consonant with principles of personal liberty, but that he does believe it advisable to eliminate from citizenship that class of persons who take advantage of the broad and general provisions of our naturalization laws, not for the purpose of residing in the United States, nor with the intention to respond to the duties of citizenship, but to return to their native country, and through their acquired citizenship escape the burdens of their native allegiance.