Proclamation No. 554 Series of 1940




MALACAÑANG PALACE Manila BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES Proclamation No. 554 PUBLISHING THE PROCLAMATIONS, EXECUTIVE ORDER, AND REGULATIONS ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AT WASHINGTON, D. C., IN CONNECTION WITH THE NEUTRALITY OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE WAR BETWEEN GERMANY, BELGIUM, LUXEMBURG AND THE NETHERLANDS. Whereas the President of the United States, on May 11. 1940, in order to preserve the neutrality of the United States and of its citizens, and of persons within its territories and jurisdiction, and to enforce its laws and treaties and in order that all persons, being warned of the general tenor of the laws and treaties of the United States in this behalf, and of the law of nations, may thus be prevented from any violation of the same, issued a proclamation to declare and proclaim that all of the provisions of his proclamation of September 5, 1939, proclaiming the neutrality of the United States in the- war between Germany and France; Poland; and the United Kingdom, India, Australia and New Zealand apply equally in respect to Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands; Whereas the President of the United States, on May 11. 1940, issued an executive order prescribing that the provisions of his Executive Order No. 8233 of September 5, 1939, prescribing the regulations governing the enforcement of the neutrality of the United States in the war existing between Germany, on the one hand, and France; Poland; and the United Kingdom, India, Australia, and New Zealand, on the other hand, apply equally in respect to Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands; Whereas sections 1 and 13 of the Joint Resolution of Congress approved November 4, 1939, provides in part. "That whenever the President, or the Congress by concurrent resolution, shall find that there exists a state of war between foreign states, and that it is necessary to promote the security or preserve the peace of the United States or to protect the lives of citizens of the United States, the President shall issue a proclamation naming the states involved; and he shall, from time to time, by proclamation, name other states as and when they may become involved in the war. "The President may, from time to time, promulgate such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law as may be necessary and proper to carry out any of the provisions of this joint resolution; and he may exercise any power or authority conferred on him by this joint resolution through such officer or officers, or agency or agencies, as he shall direct." and the President of the United States, in a proclamation, dated May 11, 1940, has pursuant to the foregoing provisions, and in order to promote the security and preserve the peace of the United States and to protect the lives of the citizens of the United States, declared and proclaimed that a state of war unhappily exists between Germany, on the one hand, and Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands on the other hand, and enjoined upon all officers of the United States charged with the execution of the laws thereof the utmost diligence in preventing violations of the said joint resolution and bringing to trial and punishment any offenders against the same; and Whereas section 11 of the Joint Resolution of Congress, approved November 4, 1939, provides: "Whenever, during any war in which the United States is neutral, the President shall find that special restrictions placed on the use of the ports and territorial waters of the United States by the submarines or armed merchant vessels of a foreign state will serve to maintain peace between the United States and foreign states, or to protect the commercial interests of the United States and its citizens, or to promote the security of the United States, and shall make proclamation thereof, it shall thereafter be unlawful for any such submarine or armed merchant vessel to enter a port or the territorial waters of the United States or to depart therefrom, except under such conditions and subject to such limitations as the President may prescribe. Whenever, in his 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, except as to offenses committed prior to such revocation." and the President of the United States, in pursuance thereof, declared and proclaimed that the provisions of his proclamation of November 4, 1939, in regard to the use of the ports and territorial waters of the United States, exclusive of the Canal Zone, by the submarines of France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom; India, Australia, Canada. New Zealand and the Union of South Africa, shall also apply to the use of the ports and territorial waters of the United States, exclusive of the Canal Zone, by the submarines of Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands; Now, therefore, be it known that I, Manuel L. Quezon, President of the Philippines, have caused the said proclamations, executive order and regulations to be made public to the end that the same and every section and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the Philippines and the inhabitants thereof. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Commonwealth of the Philippines to be affixed. Done at the City of Baguio, this seventh day of June, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and forty, and of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, the fifth. MANUEL L. QUEZON President of the Philippines By the President: JORGE B. VARGAS Secretary to the President The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation