File No. 711.654/9.
Ambassador Page to the Secretary of State.
Rome , November 3, 1914 .
Sir: In reply to your instruction No. 81 of October 7 I have the honor to inform you that I shall await instructions before taking any further steps in relation to a naturalization treaty between the United States and Italy.
I submit for your consideration, however, the following facts which induced me to believe that even although the present general conditions would indicate that this would be an unfavorable time for such a treaty to meet with approbation here, it might possibly prove otherwise, owing to this fact:
Italy is at present greatly concerned at the absence of all foreign tourists, including particularly those from America. The travelling American public is one of the important sources of income in Italy, and the sudden cessation of this revenue is being sensibly felt throughout Italy, where hotels, pensions, shop-keepers, etc., find themselves facing tremendous losses. They are making every effort, accordingly, to meet this situation, and have even secured the aid of the Government in applying to this Embassy, requesting that American consuls in Italy be instructed not to do anything which could cause alarmist rumors that would induce Americans either to leave Italy or refrain from coming here.
To this I have replied that our consuls have only gone to the extent of following their instructions in regard to persons who have applied for aid, or would be likely to require aid should they remain in Italy, and I have called the Government’s attention pointedly to the fact that their detention of American citizens of Italian birth here in Italy, especially of the class represented by the priests and clergymen and married men, because of Italy’s military regulations, has done more to arouse an uncertainty of feeling in the minds of our people as to Italy’s future attitude than any statement which consuls or other Americans have made.
[Page 412]This argument has had a manifest effect, and it was owing to this that I first felt I was making an impression on their minds. It appeared to me, therefore, that this desire to have Americans come here might induce them to make concessions in relaxing the strictness of their military regulations.
I have [etc.]