(_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, shall
remove to any location designated by the President 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.