Proclamation No. 1454, May 31, 1918, Including Certain Individuals as “Enemies” for Purposes of the Trading with the Enemy Act, and Requiring Reports as to Their Property
By the President of the United States of America
A PROCLAMATION
Whereas paragraph (c) of Section Two of the Act entitled “An Act To define, regulate, and punish trading with the enemy, and for other purposes”, approved October 6, 1917, known as the Trading with the enemy Act, provides that the word “enemy” as used therein shall be deemed to mean, for the purpose of such trading and of said Act, in addition to the individuals, partnerships or other bodies of individuals or corporations specified in paragraph (a), and in addition to the Government and political or municipal subdivisions, officers, officials, agents or agencies thereof specified in paragraph (b), of said Section Two, the following: [Page 300]
“Such other individuals, or body or class of individuals, as may be natives, citizens, or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war, other than citizens of the United States, wherever resident or wherever doing business, as the President, if he shall find the safety of the United States or the successful prosecution of the war shall so require, may, by proclamation, include within the term ‘enemy’”;
Now, therefore, I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, pursuant to the authority vested in me, and in accordance with the provisions of the said Act of October 6, 1917, known as the Trading with the enemy Act, do hereby find that the safety of the United States and the successful prosecution of the present war require that,
- (1)
- Any woman, wherever resident outside of the United States, who is a citizen or subject of any nation with which the United States is at war and whose husband is either (a) an officer, official or agent of the government of any nation with which the United States is at war, or (b) resident within the territory (including that occupied by the military or naval forces) of any nation with which the United States is at war, or (c) resident outside of the United States and doing business within such territory; and
- (2)
- All citizens or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war (other than citizens of the United States) who have been or shall hereafter be detained as prisoners of war, or who have been or shall hereafter be interned by any nation which is at war with any nation with which the United States is also at war; and
- (3)
- Such other individuals or body or class of individuals as may be citizens or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war (other than citizens of the United States) wherever resident outside of the United States, or wherever doing business outside of the United States, who since the beginning of the war have disseminated, or shall hereafter disseminate propaganda calculated to aid the cause of any such nation in such war, or to injure the cause of the United States in such war, or who since the beginning of the war has assisted or shall hereafter assist in plotting or intrigue against the United States, or against any nation which is at war with any nation which is at war also with the United States; and
- (4)
- Such other individuals or body or class of individuals as may be citizens or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war wherever resident outside of the United States, or wherever doing: business outside of the United States, who are or may hereafter be included in a publication issued by the War Trade Board of the United States of America, entitled “Enemy Trading List”; and the term “body or class of individuals” as herein used shall include firms and co-partnerships contained in said enemy trading list of which one or more of the members or partners shall be citizens or subjects of any nation with which the United States is at war; and
- (5)
- Any citizen or subject of any nation with which the United States is at war wherever resident outside of the United States, who has been at any time since August 4, 1914, resident within the territory (including that occupied by the military or naval forces) of any nation with which the United States is at war,
shall all be included within the meaning of the word “enemy” for the purposes of the “Trading with the enemy Act” and of such trading; and I do hereby proclaim to all whom it may concern that every such individual or body or class of individuals herein referred to shall be and hereby is included within the meaning of the word “enemy” and shall be deemed to constitute an “enemy” for said purposes.
And by virtue of further authority vested in me by said Act entitled “An Act To define, regulate, and punish trading with the enemy, and for other purposes”, approved October 6, 1917, and known as the Trading with the enemy Act, I hereby make the following order, rule and regulation.
I hereby require that, pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of section seven of said “Trading with the enemy Act”, every corporation incorporated within the United States, and every unincorporated association, or company, or trustee, or trustees within the United States, issuing shares or certificates representing beneficial interests, shall transmit to the Alien Property Custodian a full list of every officer, director, or stockholder known to be, or whom the representative of such corporation, association, company or trustee may have reasonable cause to believe to be, included by the above proclamation within the term “enemy”, together with a statement of the amount of stock or shares owned by each such officer, director, or stockholder, or in which he has any interest; and any person in the United States who holds or has or shall hold or have custody or control of money or other property, beneficial or otherwise, alone or jointly with others, of, for, by, on account of or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, and any person within the United States, who is or shall be indebted in any way to, any person included by the above proclamation within the term “enemy”, or any person whom he may have reasonable cause to believe to be so included, shall report the fact to the Alien Property Custodian.
Such lists, statements and reports shall be made and transmitted to the Alien Property Custodian, in such form and under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe within thirty days after the date of this order, or within thirty days after money or other property owing or belonging to or held for, by, on account of or on behalf of, or for the benefit of any such “enemy” shall come within the custody or control of the reporter, or within thirty days after any person shall become an “enemy” by virtue of the terms of the above proclamation.
[Page 302]In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
[seal] Done in the District of Columbia, this 31st day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen, and of the independence of the United States the one hundred and forty-second.
By the President:
Robert Lansing
Secretary of State.