Rights Abroad

Many U. S. citizens imagine that their rights in foreign lands are less firmly upheld than those of British subjects. The Lion, it is said, defends his own; but the Eagle only squawks. Last week popped up pertinently the case of one John Harvey Hargreaves, British subject. Eighteen months ago Mr. Hargreaves was jailed on an eight-year sentence for deserting from the French Foreign Legion. Last fortnight he was still in jail; but a U. S. deserter from the same French unit, one Bennett J. Doty, had been released from a similar eight-year sentence through pressure by the U. S. State Department (TIME, Dec. 19). The Eagle, it seemed, had squawked to some purpose. Last week the British Foreign Office followed this example. The French Government, having yielded Deserter Doty, could not but yield Deserter Hargreaves. He, lucky, strode forth a free man from the French prison at Clairvaux. During debate on this matter in the Commons, last week, irate members recalled two recent instances in which British rights were flaunted in the U. S. At Denver, Col., one A. K. Orr, peaceful Briton, was held for 17 days by the police without a charge having ever been preferred against him. Furthermore, on the U. S. steamer Manatawny, it was alleged a British steward, one Fred Thomas, was recently chained to the deckrail and flogged. In neither case has "satisfaction"--ever dear to Britons--been obtained.