Warning Americans against Travel on Ships of Belligerent Nations during Italian-Ethiopian War, 1934

by Franklin Roosevelt

Whereas Section 6 of the Joint Resolution of Congress, approved August 31, 1935 (Public Resolution No. 67, 74th Congress), provides that—

"Whenever, during any war in which the United States is neutral, the President shall find that the maintenance of peace between the United States and foreign Nations, or the protection of the lives of citizens of the United States, or the protection of the commercial interests of the United States and its citizens, or the security of the United States requires that the American citizens should refrain from traveling as passengers on the vessels of any belligerent Nation, he shall so proclaim, and thereafter no citizen of the United States shall travel on any vessel of any belligerent Nation except at his own risk, unless in accordance with such rules and regulations as the President shall prescribe: Provided, however, That the provisions of this section shall not apply to a citizen traveling on the vessel of a belligerent whose voyage was begun in advance of the date of the President's proclamation, and who had no opportunity to discontinue his voyage after that date: And provided further, That they shall not apply under ninety days after the date of the President's proclamation to a citizen returning from a foreign country to the United States or to any of its possessions. When, in the President's judgment, the conditions which have caused him to issue his proclamation have ceased to exist, he shall revoke his proclamation and the provisions of this section shall thereupon cease to apply."

AND WHEREAS war now unhappily exists between Ethiopia and the Kingdom of Italy; and

WHEREAS I find that the protection of the lives of citizens of the United States requires that American citizens should refrain from traveling as passengers on the vessels of either of the belligerent Nations;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, acting under and by virtue of the authority vested in me by the said Joint Resolution of Congress, do hereby admonish all citizens of the United States to abstain from traveling on any vessel of either of the belligerent nations contrary to the provisions of the said Joint Resolution; and

I do hereby give notice that any citizen of the United States who may travel on such a vessel, contrary to the provisions of the said Joint Resolution, will do so at his own risk.