Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1918, Supplement 2, The World War

File No. 711.622/12

The Secretary of State to the Attorney General ( Gregory)¹

Washington, May 9, 1917.

My Dear Mr. Attorney General: With reference to the question of the interpretation of article 23 of the treaty of 1799 between the United States and Prussia and whether or not the treaty is binding so far as this Government is concerned, I enclose for your information copy of a letter dated May 8 from the President² giving his views in reply to my letter to him of the 21st ultimo.³ A copy of the treaty article referred to is also enclosed.⁴

Sincerely yours,

Robert Lansing

1. The same, on the same date, to the Secretary of Labor.
2. Supra.
3. For a further statement concerning the validity of the treaty of 1799 see instructions to the chairman of the American Commission to the Prisoners of War Conference, Aug. 22, 1918, ante, p. 86.
4. Enclosure not printed.