Chapter 336. Amending sections nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, fourteen hundred and twenty, and sixteen hundred and twenty-four of the Revised Statutes of the United States, and to authorize the President, in certain cases, to mitigate or remit the loss of rights of citizenship imposed by law upon deserters f
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CHAP. 336.— An Act Amending sections nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, fourteen hundred and twenty, and sixteen hundred and twenty-four of the Revised Statutes of the United States, and to authorize the President, in certain cases, to mitigate or remit the loss of rights of citizenship imposed by law upon deserters from the military or naval service, and to authorize certain reenlistments in the Army and naval service.August 22, 1912.[[H. R. 17483](/us/bill/62/hr/17483).][[Public.
No. 291](/us/pl/62/291).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Citizenship.[R. S., sec. 1998, p. 350, amended](/us/rs/s1998/p350). That section nineteen hundred and ninety-eight of the Revised Statutes of the United States be, and the same is hereby, amended to read as follows: " “Sec. 1998. Forfeited by desertion, etc., from Army or Navy.That every person who hereafter deserts the military or naval service of the United States, or who, being duly enrolled, departs the jurisdiction of the district in which he is enrolled, or goes beyond the limits of the United States, with intent to avoid any draft into the military or naval service, lawfully ordered, shall be liable to all the penalties and forfeitures of section nineteen hundred and *Provisos*.Not to apply in time of peace.[R.
S., sec. 1996, p. 350](/us/rs/s1996/p360).ninety-six of the Revised Statutes of the United States: *Provided*, That the provisions of this section and said section nineteen hundred and ninety-six shall not apply to any person hereafter deserting the military or naval service of the United States in time of peace: Loss of citizenship by deserters may be remitted.*And provided further*, That the loss of rights of citizenship heretofore imposed by law upon deserters from the military or naval service may be mitigated or remitted by the President where the offense was committed in time of peace and where the exercise of such clemency will not be prejudicial to the public interests: *And provided further*, Restrictions on re-enlistments in Army modified.[R.
S., sec. 1118, p. 205](/us/rs/s/p).That the provisions of section eleven hundred and eighteen of the Revised Statutes of the United States that no deserter from the military service of the United States shall be enlisted or mustered Vol. 28, p. 216.into the military service, and the provisions of section two of the Act of Congress approved August first, eighteen hundred and ninety-four, entitled ‘An Act to regulate enlistments in the Army of the United States,’ shall not be construed to preclude the reenlistment or muster into the Army of any person who has deserted, or may hereafter desert, from the military service of the United States in time of peace, or of any soldier whose service during his last preceding term of enlistment has not been honest and faithful, whenever the reenlistment or muster into the military service of such person or soldier shall, in view of the good conduct of such person or soldier subsequent to such desertion or service, be authorized by the Secretary of War.
” " Sec. 2. Naval enlistments.[R. S., sec. 1420, p. 350, amended](/us/rs/s1420/p350).Vol. 21, pp. 3, 338.That section fourteen hundred and twenty of the Revised Statutes, as amended by the Acts of Congress approved May twelfth, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine, and February twenty-third, eighteen hundred and eighty-one, be, and the same is hereby, amended to read as follows: " “Sec. 1420. Prohibited enlistments modified.No minor under the age of fourteen years, no insane or intoxicated person, and no person who has deserted in time of war from the naval or military service of the United States, shall be enlisted in the naval service.
” " [R. S.. sec. 1624, p. 280, amended](/us/rs/s1624/p280).Vol. 21, p. 3.That section sixteen hundred and twenty-four, article nineteen, of the Revised Statutes, as amended by the Act of Congress approved May twelfth, eighteen hundred and seventy-nine, be, and the same is hereby, amended to read as follows: " “Sec. 1624. Punishment of officer for improper enlistments modified.Article 19. Any officer who knowingly enlists into the naval service any person who has deserted in time of war from the naval or military service of the United States, or any insane or intoxicated person, or any minor between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years, without the consent of his parents or guardian, or any minor under the age of fourteen years, shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
” " Approved, August 22, 1912.