GERMAN SPIES

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

GERMAN SPIES

BRITISH NATIONALITY EXPLOITEP How a German- can havo two nationalities, by becoming a naturalised British subject arid'remaining a German, to the grave detriment of British interests, is instructively explained by Mr. Oliver' E. -Zoddington, in the March "English.. Review'." ' Under the, old law. he writes, there was not express, provision to the effect that naturalisation abroard involved loss of German nationality. The Delbruck law, while containing such a provision, at the same time ties the stoutest kind of string to German allegiance by providing that all the emigrant has to do beforo becoming naturalised abroad is t-> obtain permission to preserve his German nationality, a permission which; we may bo sure, in tiro present state of our knowledge, is granted with admirablo facility. This permission once obtained, naturalisation abroad in nowise affects his German nationality.

In the countries where naturalisation is granted upon such easy-going terms as has hitherto been the case in England and France, the privilege of naturalisation in those countries has admirably served the designs of those Germans who, while appearing to have adopted their new nationality heartwhole, have done so solely for the object of serving the Fatherland in capacities of which wo have had, in both France and England, only too many lamentable instances. That this object was deliberate is demonstrated in tho Imperial message announcing the new Nationality Bill, as well as in Dr. Delbruck's speech introducing the measure. Dr. Delbruck said: "The motives of emigration have in great part become quite different from what they were formerly. The German who emigrates now no longer does so with a view of separating himself economically and politically from his country; on the contrary, the large majority of those who emigrate go with tli'e object of serving their country economically and politically. ... It is true that we recognise that there are cases where a German citizen abroad may have an interest in acquiring, side bv side with his old nationality, a new nationality, the possession of which would still allow of his usefully representing tho interests of his old Fatherland."

At present the oath merely calls on tlie candidate to swear allegiance to tho British Sovereign, without compelling him to expressly renounce nrior allegiance to Germany, and Mr. Boddineton_ urges that- this repudiation shoufd be insisted on, following tho American custom. In France, the tapping of official secrets by Germans and Austrians has promoted the Government to introduce a hill drastically amending the oxisting defective system. "Unless, therefore," says Mr. Boddington, "we give the Secretary of Stats wider powers, we nr» face to face with the undoubted fact that tho privileges of British lin'in- > 1 Ifv ran still he exploited, as thov ! ive been exploited in past years to the utmost by naturalised aliens for the benefit of a hostile Power. . . . While tho new Nationality Act could undoubtedly bp amended, to further the end in view, the most effectual means of achieving it is undoubtedly a treaty. There is precedent for this in the 'Bancroft' treaties entered into in 18(38 between tho United States and various Slates of the German confederation, tho effect of which has been preserved by subsequent, Imperial Statutes. They provide that Germans naturalised in the United States shall bp treated by Germany as American citizens and reciprocity,"