Aliens - Naturalization - Netural Aliens Who Sought Relief from Military Service Barred from Becoming United States Citizens

During World War II, an alien who was a citizen or a subject of a neutral country was allowed to escape service in the armed forces of the United States by signing Selective Service Form DSS 301. A release thus obtained carried with it a disability ever to become a citizen of the United States. A substantial number of neutral aliens availed themselves of this relief from military service. Today, the courts are faced with the problem of whether signing Form 301 shall in every case prevent the alien from becoming a citizen. It is the purpose of this comment to examine the cases that have arisen to date and to determine, against a background of United States policy in submitting aliens to military liability, the validity of the various defenses that have been interposed to the citizenship bar