The dominion. FRIDAY, MAT 11, 1915. THE DANGER OF DOUBLE ALLEGIANCE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2461, 14 May 1915, Page 4

The dominion. FRIDAY, MAT 11, 1915. THE DANGER OF DOUBLE ALLEGIANCE

The position of enemy subjects residing in British countries is at present being forced upon the attention of the authorities in various parts of the Empire. There is a widespread feeling that the- extraordinary amount of liberty enjoyed by Germans and Austrians in the British Dominions at the present moment is a source of danger, _ and that steps should be taken to increase the extent and effectiveness of the supervision which has hitherto been exercised over the potential enemies within our gates. This feeling has been greatly intensified by such happenings as the torpedoing of the Lusi.tania. The indignation which this colossal crimc evoked has been increased by the jubilant approval with which it has been received in Germany, and by the hopes for the victory of our foes which are said to have been openly expressed by Germans living in British'and neutral States. It is stated that much bitterness 'has been aroused in the Chinese town of Tientsin by the action of the German residents in celebrating the brutal murder of over a thousand non-combatants —men, women, and children—who went down with the Cunard liner. It not surprising that this brutal glorification of crimc is stirring up strong resentment. One cannot help sympathising lyith the feelings of the angry crowds which have been making. anti-Qerman demonstrations in England, however emphatically one must condemn exhibitions of mob violeuce. Lawless outbursts can serve no good purpose, and cannot bo tolerated in any civilised country.

But other people, besides excited crowds, are dissatisfied with the laxity of the control which is being exercised over enemy subjects. Tho matter is being vigorously discussed in New Zealand. It was brought under the notice of the Mayor yesterday by a deputation from the Patriotic Society. ( One of the speakers referred to the case of a naturalised German who had given expression to anti-British sentiments regarding the war. Incidents of this land are bound to cause trouble; they also ai'ouse suspicion, and the prevalent opinion is that we should take no more risk than is absolutely necessary. The. problem- which the authorities have to face is, however, an extremely difficult one. The fact of naturalisation has to be considered, and there aro other obstacles in the way of decisive action. However that may be it is quite certain that the vast majority of New Zealandea's are firmly convinced that the present state of affairs is highly unsatisfactory. But Mb. Massey says that nothing can be done in this Dominion without instruction from the Imperial authorities. This explanation of the position lends additional importance to the statement regarding the intentions of the British Government, which appears in our cable columns. Speaking in the House of Commons Sin. AsQUiTH declared that the Government is considering the segregation and internment of all alien enemies on a comprehensive scale. This shows that the Imperial authorities now recognise tljat more drastic precautions are necessary in the public interest, and it may be assumed that the Governments'of the Overseas Dominions will adopt similar measures to those which may be enforced in Britain. Public opinion is becoming so emphatic in all parts of the Empire that the authorities are being compelled to bestir themselves And public opinion has reason and justice on its side. The mere fact of naturalisation cannot be accepted as a decisive bar to further action as far as Germans are concerned, for the German citizenship law provides for a system of double allegiance which is_ inconsistent with the basic principles of real nationalisation. The German law declares that

Citizenship is not lost by any one who, before acquiring foreign citizenship, has secured on application the" written conpent of the competent authorities of his home State to retain his citizenship.

This provision deprives a German's oath of. allegiance to a foreign State of all meaning or binding'forje. Referring to this matter a writer in the English Review points out that the German idea of citizenship "has, in the past, admirably served the designs of those Germans who, while appearing to have adopted their new nationality heartwhole, bave done so solely for the object of serving the Fatherland in capacities of which we havo had, in both France and England, only too many lamentable instances." In introducing the new Nationality Bill, Da. Delbruck openly stated that the large majority of Germans who emigrate "go with the object of serving their country economically and politically." He also remarked that thero are cases where a German citizen abroad may have an interest in acquiring side by side with his old nationality a new nationality the possession of which would still allow of his usefully representing the interests of his old Fatherland, This double allegiance naturally breeds doubt and suspicion in British minds. We all know that the German methods of espioimf/e are the most perfect in the world, and one cannot help feeling that the fact of naturalisation has not prevented many enemy subjects in the British Empire from "usefully representing the interests of their old land" during the present war, to the detriment of (heir adopted country. Franco has already passed an Act which permits her to rescind naHtmnH**(■•!«! tmiflen.% at will, aud it is probable that the Au#tra.<

lian Federal Parliament will 1 be asked to consider a Bill amending the existing law by declaring naturalisation to bo a privilege extended only to those who by the laws of their own country are permitted to divest themselves of their former nationality and take up that of Britain. Tho Federal Attorney-General (Mb. Hughes) is of opinion—and most people in this part of the world will agree with him—that such a step would not only be just and prudent, but also absolutely logical, for np man can serve two masters, or be loyal to two nationalities. Mr. Bu'jiian, t]ie well-informed writer of Nelson's /listory uf the ]Yar, states that a German might become a subject of Ki#o George, and oven a member of His Majesty's Privy Council, and still .-emain a German citizen, with his first duty vowed to the country of his birth. 'Thfs ought not to be possible. It is onlv fair and reasonable that before ■-> person is granted tho privileges of British citizenship he should be required to explicitly renounce all foreign allegiance-.