File No. 365.117/45.
The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Page.
Washington, November 20, 1914.
Sir: The Department has received your despatch No. 162 of October 14, 1914, in reply to its instruction No. 79, of September 23, 1914, concerning your efforts to gain the consent of the Italian Government for various naturalized American citizens of Italian origin who are being held by the Italian authorities as subject to the military regulations of Italy, to leave Italy and return to the United States. You mention having had considerable correspondence with the Italian Foreign Office concerning this matter, but do not enclose with your despatch copies of the correspondence referred to. Please forward to the Department copies of all correspondence which you have had with Italian officials concerning the matter above mentioned.
The Department has been informed that some of the naturalized Italians detained in Italy have been released and allowed to return to the United States, and it is to be hoped that your efforts in behalf of others will meet with success, especially in the case of those who have dependent families in this country. The Department’s views coincide with your own as to the great desirability of concluding a naturalization treaty with Italy. It is believed that such a treaty will be the only means of solving the vexed question of disputed nationality. In this relation attention is called to the Department’s instruction No. 65 of June 19, 1914, and previous correspondence mentioned therein.
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