Office of the Historian

File No. 763.72115/3153

The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the Executive Committee, National Department of the Polish Central Relief Committee of America ( Smulski)

Washington, July 23, 1917.

Sir: Referring to your letter No. 514, of June 18, 1917,1 in which you protest against the classification by local officials of Poles in the United States as Germans and Austrians, and to the Department’s reply of June 26,1 stating that your letter had been referred to the Department of Justice, the Department transmits herewith, for your information, copy of the Attorney General’s reply on the subject.

I am [etc.]

For the Secretary of State:
William Phillips

Assistant Secretary
[Page 206]
[Enclosure]1

The Attorney General ( Gregory) to the Secretary of State

Washington, June 29, 1917.

Sir: This Department has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of June 262 submitting a request of the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Polish Central Relief Committee of America that natives, denizens, citizens or subjects of Germany or Austria who happen to be Poles may be excluded from the operation of the President’s proclamation relative to alien enemies. In reply the Department has the honor to advise you that Austrian citizens other than natives of Germany, and natives of Austria other than citizens or subjects of Germany are not being classed as alien enemies. In regard to the further question of exempting those Poles who are by the terms of section 4067 of the Revised Statutes within the definition of the word “alien enemy,” this Department has the honor to advise you that it must necessarily follow the law as it is now laid down in enforcing the President’s proclamation. It is needless to add, however, that in the matter of granting permits to all such as are within the terms of the statute due consideration is being paid to their sympathies and affiliations in this war.

Respectfully,

For the Attorney General:
Charles Warren

Assistant Attorney General
  1. Not printed.↩
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  3. Filed separately under File No. 763.72115/3160.↩
  4. Not printed.↩