Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1917 — U. S. TO JAIL PLOTTERS [ARTICLE]

U. S. TO JAIL PLOTTERS

WAR DEPARTMENT SELECTS FT. SHERIDAN FOR .ONE OFCAMPSPrisons to Be Used for Detention of Undesirable Aliens of All Nationalities. M' . ■ Washington, Feb. 16.—The war department has tentative plans for the construction in the United States of probably four alien detention camps to be used in time of war. The site tentatively selected for one*of these camps is Fort Sherhmn, 111. These camps would be used primarily for the detention of undesirable aliens of all nationalities, but probably chiefly persons of Teutonic citizenship, ' in the event that the United States ■ should go to war with Germany. | The plans <;ontei|i}d»te the erection of internment camps on srn-li a scale that many thousands of persons could ; be accommodated. The government has no present intention of interning in event of war all Gentian, Austrian, Bulgarian, or Turkish citizens now in the United States. The treaties which the United States has with Prussia, formulated ; in 1799 and 1828. definitely provide i that nationals of either belligerent, in ; time of war, shall have nine months i in which to close their fiscal tiffairs and leave the country. However, certain sections of these treaties have been denounced by the United States, although there are some legit 1 opinions to the effect that the treaties are still in effect. '■ A widespread belief that the president, if the nation, should become involved in war, would ask for authority to suspend the habeas corpus is inaccurate. It might be the president would designate certain parts of the country as under martial law, in which case the civil courts of these -districts would be suspended, thereby doing away with the habeas corpus. The internment camps will have every possible convenience. 0 Frame cottages will be erected. The camps would not resemble a prison, except that the persons “detained could hardly expect to be permitted to leave.