File No. 365.117/9.
Ambassador O’Brien to the Secretary of State.
Rome, June 11, 1913.
Sir: With reference to the Department’s No. 139 of the 26th ultimo, concerning the age limit for military service in Italy, I beg to inform you that the law of the Kingdom provides that Italian subjects shall be liable for the performance of military duty as follows:
From 20 to 28 years of age, in the active army;
From 29 to 31 years of age, in the reserve army, which is liable for foreign service;
At the option of the Minister of War, an entire class may be retained in the above category up to the age of 32;
From 31 or 32 to 39 years of age, in the territorial reserve army.
The Law of December 24, 1911, on Recruitment, Article 91, provides not only for inscription in this latter body, but provides also [Page 399] that members of the territorial reserve may, when deemed necessary, be called on to receive military instruction. There has been no case, however, of a summons made under this article.
After the age of 32, while a subject is still liable for military service in the territorial reserve, he is not punishable for past failure to appear for service.
I have [etc.]