Read over the ninth clause of section 3 again: “whoever shall by word or act support or favor the cause of any country with which the United States is at war, or by word or act oppose the cause of the United States therein—.” That clause alone serves to make enemy propaganda or native-born sedition a hazardous undertaking in any community where League members are awake and on the job.
Gone is the necessity of arguing and pleading with the pro-German, the pacifist and the native-born disloyalist to speak with straight tongues. Loyal citizens retain the right to free speech and to honest and reasonable criticism of the Government’s actions and policies. But indiscriminate abuse and lying reports of what is happening here at home or overseas are going to stop. The amended law is a powerful weapon put into our hands for that very purpose.
Notice also that the word “willfully” is omitted in Clause Nine. To convict a man of disloyalty or sedition, you will not have to prove his disloyal or hostile intention. Like murder or burglary, espionage and sedition are become positive crimes. No one who commits them can plead innocent intent.
APPENDIX E
REMOVAL OF ALIEN ENEMIES
R. S. SEC. 4067 (as amended). Whenever there is a declared 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 the hostile nation or government, being 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 act, 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 residences 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 other regulations, which are found necessary in the premises and for the public safety. (Act of July 6, 1798, Chap. 66, Sec. 1, Stat. 577. As amended by Act of April 16, 1918: Public No. 131—65th Congress: H. R. 9504.)
APPENDIX F
PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION REGARDING REGULATION OF ALIEN ENEMIES
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:
(1) An alien enemy shall not have in his possession at any time or place any fire-arm, weapon or implement of war, or component part thereof, ammunition, maxim, or other silencer, bomb, or explosive or material used in the manufacture of explosives;
(2) 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 signalling 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.
(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;