File No. 365.17/109.

The Secretary of State to Senator Lodge .

Sir: With reference to the Department’s letter of June 9 and other correspondence concerning the detention in Italy for military service of Ugo Da Prato, a native American citizen, I send you herewith a copy of a despatch No. 318 of June 17, 1915, from the Ambassador at Rome, and copies of its enclosure: a note of May 4 from the Italian Foreign Minister to the Embassy, and a note of June 16 from the Embassy to the Foreign Minister. It appears from the latest correspondence in this case that the Italian authorities contend that Antonio Da Prato, father of Ugo, has resumed his original status as an Italian subject, under Italian law, in view of his residence of over two years in his native land, and that his son has thereby been naturalized as an Italian subject. As you will also note, the Ambassador, under instructions from the Department, has protested against the application of the Italian law mentioned, in the cases of Ugo Da Prato and his father, since it is understood that they both went to Italy for temporary residence, the father to represent the firm of A. Da Prato and Company of Boston, and the son to study architecture.

The Department is telegraphing to the Ambassador to report by telegraph as to what reply, if any, has been received to his note of June 16 to the Italian Foreign Minister. Meantime it is suggested that it might be well for you to obtain and send to the Department such evidence as may be procurable concerning the temporary nature of the residence of the Da Pratos in Italy. In this connection it might be well to obtain from an officer of the firm of A. Da Prato and Company an affidavit stating his knowledge concerning the residence in Italy of Antonio Da Prato and his son Ugo, their present connections of property, business and family with this country, and their intention of returning to the United States for permanent residence.

I have [etc.]

Robert Lansing.