NATIONALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 117, 20 May 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

NATIONALITY.

MARRIAGE TO AN ALIEN,

RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP LOST. The subject of retaining lier nationality upon marriage has become a vital question to many women, and the subject has been fought in the English law courts and won by one woman, Winifred James; but this does not remove the chattel idea slur from other women. Tho story of what she has gone through has been written down for an Australian paper by Winifred James, who says:— I was married in 1913, at St. George's, Hanover Square, London, to a United States citizen residing in Panama, and became automatically a United States citizen. I did not realise this until the ship docked at New York ten days later, and certainly it made no impression then. Educated as I was in Australia by a Yorkshire grandfather as a diehard Briton, it sounded like a joke.

Reporting to Police. In December, 1915, on returning to England 15 months after war liad been declared, I began to find out what it did mean. Arrived in London, I must go at once to the police station nearest and present myself as a foreigner. For the nine months I was there I could not move live miles from my original base without reporting and showing the identity book in which all the details of my passport were set out with more added. Everywhere I went I had to take my place among aliens. Also all places that came within the war zone areas were forbidden me.

In Scotland I might not go near the Caledonian Canal, nor might I be allowed to work anywhere except 011 the outside fringe. But the net which bagged the faithful sometimes missed the enemy. Peering about in the dark of a Solio street for a number, I asked a man passing if he knew where it was. He answered, "Xein, nein!" This was during the war. One bore this with as good a grace as possible. Coming back after the Armistice, the same conditions continued. On American Passport. Returning for good in 1927 to take my life up in England again after I had been divorced in Panama, I entered still on an American passport; on this I travelled to France and Germany, having to pay all the dues of an American citizan, which included the payment of more than £2 on re-entering England. In 1927 they told me at the United States Consulate that, if I required any further protection, I must apply to Washington for a new passport. This meant that I must swear allegiance to the United States. I could not do it and told the Consul so. This ended any protection from any country at all, the only possibility of my being able to travel anywhei'e would bo through the issue of provisional permit from Home Oftice. Apart from that I stood entirely without rights of any kind, and although this permit might be granted I would still be liable for the expensive fees attached to my late American citizenship. Price of Nationality There was an alternative, an easy one. I was assured by an official at the Home Office. I might get my nationality back by the payment of a small fee. Even then I might have considered the buying back of that which I had never voluntarily given up. But this easy business of naturalisation had a catch in it. "Provided" this— and this. Provided I produced my husband's death certificate, or in the event of a divorce, provided the English law recognised the law of the country in which I was divorced. Or again, provided the divorce was a legitimate one. This decided mc, The nationality right I was seeking was only a step of the way to a further necessity. I had gone through things for three years which liad shown me what suffering and injustice women could be subjected to in international marriages when men chose to put them through it. I would not accept my nationality back at the price of closing my lips on this. I had felt that experiences such as I had known must have been given me for a purpose. Taking a witness with me I went to Bow Street Police Oflice and said that if they would look up my record thev would find I had failed to report my last movo more than a year ago. A like neglect had called forth the threat from Scotland Yard that any further neglect would bring upon me the full penalty of the law. Order from Scotland Yard. The full penalty of the law was, according to the inspector at Bow Street, six months' imprisonment or a fine of £100. I would force them to make good this threat. If it came to it that they should impose tne fine, I should refuse to pay it. Then they would be in the position of having to imprison a British woman for loyalty. That ought to call attention to something of the injustices we labour under. I said to the policeman at the Alien Office desk that I had failed to register a year ago; that I would never again register as an alien or show any identity book, or give the address of where I lived. The result was an order from Scotland Yard to comply within seven days or bo summoned to appear at Bow Street police court and take sentence of line or imprisonment. I went personally to Scotland "iard and repeated what I had said at Bow Street Alien Office. There was no question now of threat; they were kindly, courteous and persuasive, but I had made up my mind. I told them that I would arrange to receive the summons, and it was agreed to serve me at the Lyceum Club, Chesterfield Gardens, London. "Wily Opponents." The date of the appearance was February (i, about ten days later. I went to my cottage in Kent, and came up five days' before. The women's organisations were prepared to support me. Helena Xormantun was briefed with a junior counsel to defend me on tiie score of motive, and the newspapers were following closely the outcome. Late on

tho Friday night of February 3 newspapers received a notice from the Home Office. It was an order saying that British women registered as aliens would 110 longer be required to register at police stations, provided they would send in their registration cards for cancellation.

By those not personally affected, but who were following with both interest and sympathy, this was regarded as a victory, and letters of congratulation came pouring in 011 me. It was thought that this order had given lis back our rights of citizenship and made us British subjects again. That was exactly the impression the Home Office intended to give. My hat is off to them as wily opponents who knew their game.

"With No Rights." It gave us nothing except freedom from any little-journeys. We remain as we were before with 110 rights and under every kind of disability'; unable to stir from the spot 011 which we stand, and only there on sufferance. Yet we are taxed as if wo enjoyed tlie full rights of citizenship. If in my profession as a writer* I sell a book to an American publisher and also to an English publisher, 1 must pay

A woman travelling alone is protected to a certain extent by the passport which declares her to be a citizen of the country which has issued the passport. A provisional permit or an Nansen passport calls attention to the fact that she is a citizen of no country at all. And in many cases when travelling so, women have been called upon to deposit considerable sums of money before they are permitted to enter the country they arc visiting. Position in Dominions. England, whom we are pleased to call the leading nation of the world, is one of the last left to capitulate in this matter of women's nationality. She stands with Japan and Holland in her splendid isolation. Her excuse seems to be that she must consider the feelings of her Dominions, and her Dominions are not prepared to grant this long-delayed justice to their womankind. Australian women are indignant that Australia should be used as such an excuse. So are the South African women. In Canada the French-Canadian Provinces are said to be the stumbling block. But what ha? come over England that she should suddenly cease her renowned efforts in the cause of justice, at the word of her children. At a luncheon of the British Commonwealth League, where I was invited to speak on this latest happening, there was not an Australian woman present who was not prepared to light till the disabilities should be removed.

■l!!IBI!IIBIII!BliilBlll!BliIIBi:i!BllllBIIIIBI!IIBIIIiBIBIIIIBi: income tax in both these countries, yet I have no vote in either and no rights of citizenship anywhere. A provisional permit for Europe means that one is paying more for that which places one under suspicion everywhere.