Executive Order 2652

In pursuance of the authority conferred upon the President of the United States by section 2 of the Act approved August 18, 1914, entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the admission of foreign-built ships to American registry for the foreign trade, and for other purposes,’’ it is hereby ordered:


 * That the provisions of law prescribing that the watch officers of vessels of the United States registered for the foreign trade shall be citizens of the United States, are hereby suspended so far and for such length of time as is herein provided, namely —


 * That all citizens or subjects of nations which are or which may hereafter be engaged in the present war against the Imperial German Government or any of its allies, and all such citizens or subjects of neutral nations as shall satisfy the Secretary of Commerce that their attitude toward the purposes of the United States in the war it is now waging is not detrimental to the successful prosecution of the war, may, for the duration of the war, be permitted to act as watch officers of vessels of the United States registered for the foreign trade, if otherwise qualified:


 * Provided, That if it shall appear to the satisfaction of the Secretary of Commerce that any such citizen or subject, whether of a belligerent or neutral nation, has committed any act inimical to the United States in the conduct of the war, the said Secretary may, in each such case, withdraw the exemption provided for herein, and such exemption shall not again apply to any such alien citizen or subject. And the Secretary of Commerce is hereby authorized to prescribe such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry this order into effect.

, July 3, 1917.