Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 127, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1916 — Uncle Sam’s O. K. Now Required of Travelers [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Uncle Sam’s O. K. Now Required of Travelers

Before the European war, Americans who desired to go abroad just went—and that was all there was to it. But now it is different. Before the war no countries except Russia, Turkey and the Balkan states required American travelers to present formal credentials from the United States government. Now all the belligerent countries and most of the neutral countries of Europe require passports of Americans. ' • And just any card of identification will not do. You may not sail unless you have Uncle Sam’s express permission. You must state the full details of your business, the why and the wherefore of the journey, and, if then It is decided that your business is real business, you are equipped with a most elaborate set of papers. To obtain these you must upon oath declare your American citizenship and prove your right to the claim by witnesses. In giving your reason for going abroad, you must submit documentary proof of its truth. . When the passport is finally issueci, your full description is entered thereon in minute detail —height, weight, general proportions, the color of your hair and of your eyes, the style of your mustache and so on. In the upper left hand corner there must be a clear photograph of your front sace — one containing a very good likeness — and upon the photograph must be

stamped the seal of the court or the agent of the department; of state to whom you applied for the passport. There are numerous other requirements. If your business require that you go to one or more of the countries of the allies, to those countries you will be permitted to go, but to no others. Likewise the journeys to Germany, Austria, and Turkey. Except on diplomatic business of a highly important character, no American is allowed to go from one of the warring nations into an enemy country. Before the war, the passport bureau of the state department had a nice sleepy, easy time of it. The special requirements of the governments of Russia, Turkey and the Balkan states necessitated the issuance of about 24,000 passports a year. The formalities connected with their Issuance were not nearly so complex. Now, with passports required to all the principal countries of Europe, even though the total number of travelers Is much reduced, the number of passports annually issued is amounting close to 40,000. The extra demands upon the labor and time of the state department officers charged with issuance of passports is obvlou/. Seven clerks served to man the passport bureau before the war began, with one office in Washington, D. C. There are now 25 clerks and a branch office in New York city.

Blank passport of the type now Issued by the state department showing the minute description required. To the right of the picture appears a canceled passport, folded, issued for travel In Germany.