The State Department has sent to Mr. Uhl, the United States Ambassador to Germany, directing him to make a demand on the German Government for the release of an American citizen named Mayer, who has been wrongfully forced to serve in the German army.
This matter is of interest to us, because it shows us our rights as citizens.
The father of this Mayer was a German citizen who came to this country, lived here for a good number of years, and returned to his native land when his son was between eleven and twelve years old.
The elder Mayer never took out his naturalization papers, and therefore remained a citizen of Germany.
The younger Mayer was nevertheless an American citizen because he was born here, and this is the point that interests us.
According to our law, all persons who are born within the boundaries of the United States are American citizens. The nationality of the parents makes no difference whatever, nor does it signify whether the father was a citizen or not. The mere fact of being born in this country is sufficient to make a man an American citizen. The United States claims him, and protects him if he needs protection.
When young Mayer's parents went hack to Germany they educated their boy in German schools, and he grew up as a German boy.
When he came to be twenty-one years of age he was ordered to serve his time in the German army. He refused to do this, on the ground that he was an American citizen.
He was nevertheless claimed by the authorities and forced to join the army.
In Germany there is a law, that every young man who reaches the age of twenty-one must go into the army and serve as a soldier for two years.