Office of the Historian

File No. 365.117/533

Ambassador Page to the Secretary of State

No. 647
American Embassy,
Rome, March 19, 1917.

Sir: Referring to Department’s instruction No. 469 of January 9, 1917, directing the Embassy to endeavor to obtain permission for the return to the United States of Annibale Donati, born in Italy February 1, 1887, I have the honor to enclose herewith the translation of a note received today from the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating that the Ministry of War declines to release him from military service.

I have [etc.]

Thos. Nelson Page
[Inclosure—Translation]

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs to the American Embassy

Referring to note verbale No. 1456 of February 2 last, the Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs has the honor to inform the American Embassy that, according to a recent communication from the Royal Ministry of War, even admitting that Annibale Donati has lost his Italian citizenship through the American naturalization of his father while still a minor, he is at all events entirely under the obligation of military service in Italy, according to the ruling of the now repealed Art. 12 of the Civil Code, which was still in force at the time when, having reached the proper age, he had to report himself for military duty.

Besides young Donati has shown a thorough understanding of his obligation, for since 1907 he has regularly performed his military duty in Italy, and has even been engaged on active duty; he is now under arms, having been recalled to the 4th Regiment of Engineers in the war zone.

Rome, March 17, 1917.