File No. 819.55/19.
[Untitled]
Washington , August 30, 1913.
The Chinese Consul General at Panama has telegraphed the Chinese Legation here that the Chinese colony believes Law 50 is unconstitutional; that they fear wholesale arrest and deportation, which would cause immense damage and hardship before an opportunity would be given to test constitutionality of the law; and would like this Government to request Government of Panama to allow such test before compelling Chinese to comply with the law.
You may communicate this request by way of good offices to the Government of Panama. The Department has advised the Chinese Legation that this request will probably not be granted, and that it would seem to be advisable to comply with the law and test its constitutionality afterward rather than incur the risk of the application of its penalties before the question of constitutionality can be determined.