File No. 151.01/43
[Untitled]
Washington, June 6, 1916.
To the American Diplomatic and Consular Officers. (Including Consular Agents)
Gentlemen: The Department is in receipt of a letter dated May 19, 1916, from the Acting Secretary of Labor enclosing a copy of a circular letter to commissioners of immigration and inspectors in charge of districts promulgating a recent amendment to rule 9 of the “Rules Governing the Admission of Chinese.”
The amendment in question, which makes a material change in the holding of the Department of Labor regarding the admissibility of the sons born abroad of Chinese citizens of the United States, provides as follows:
Rule 9 of the Chinese Rules, approved October 15, 1915, is hereby amended by striking therefrom paragraphs (f) and (g), by changing the letter designation of the last paragraph thereof from (h) to (g), and by inserting a new paragraph designated (f), reading as follows: “(f) The lawful wife of an American citizen of the Chinese race may be admitted for the purpose of joining her husband, and the lawful children of such a citizen partake of his citizenship and are therefore entitled to admission. In every such case convincing evidence of citizenship and relationship shall be exacted.”
I am [etc.]