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

Treaty Series No. 634

Convention between the United States and Great Britain Relating to Military Service of Citizens of the United States in Canada and of Canadians in the United States, Signed at Washington, June 3, 1918¹

Washington London, June 3, 1918

By the President of the United States of America

A PROCLAMATION

Whereas a Convention between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, providing for the reciprocal military service of citizens of the United States in Canada and Canadians in the United States, was concluded and signed by their respective Plenipotentiaries at Washington on the third day of June, one thousand nine hundred and eighteen, the original of which Convention is word for word as follows:

The President of the United States of America and His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India being convinced that for the better prosecution of the present war it is desirable that citizens of the United States in Canada and Canadian British subjects in the United States shall either return to their own country to perform military service in its army or shall serve in the army of the country in which they remain, have resolved to enter into a Convention to that end and have accordingly appointed as their Plenipotentiaries:

• The President of the United States of America, Robert Lansing, Secretary of State of the United States, and
• His Britannic Majesty, The Earl of Reading, Lord Chief Justice of England, High Commissioner and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on Special Mission to the United States,

who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers found to be in proper form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles:

Article I

All male citizens of the United States in Canada (hereinafter called Americans) and all male British subjects in the United States (a) who were born or naturalized in Canada, and who, before proceeding to the United States, were ordinarily resident in Great Britain or Canada or in any other part of His Majesty’s Dominions to which compulsory military service has been or may be hereafter by law applied, or outside the British Dominions; or (b) who were not born or naturalized in Canada, but who, before proceeding to the United States, were ordinarily resident in Canada (hereinafter called Canadians) shall, unless before the time limited by this Convention they enlist or enroll in the forces of their own country or return to the United States or Canada, respectively, for the purpose of military service, be subject to military service and entitled to exemption or discharge therefrom under the laws and regulations, from time to time in force, of the country in which they are: Provided, that in respect to Americans in Canada, the ages for military service shall be the ages specified in the laws of the United States prescribing compulsory military service, and in respect to Canadians in the United States the ages for military service shall be for the time being twenty to forty-four years, both inclusive.

Article II

Americans and Canadians within the age limits aforesaid who desire to enter the military service of their own country must enlist or enroll, or must leave Canada or the United States, as the case may be, for the purpose of military service in their own country before the expiration of sixty days after the date of the exchange of ratifications of this Convention, if liable to military service in the country in which they are at the said date; or, if not so liable, then before the expiration of thirty days after the time when liability shall accrue; or, as to those holding certificates of exemption under Article III of this Convention, before the expiration of thirty days after the date on which any such certificate becomes inoperative unless sooner renewed; or as to those who apply for certificates of exemption under Article III, and whose applications are refused, then before the expiration of thirty days after the date of such refusal, unless the application be sooner granted.

Article III

The Government of the United States, through the Consul General at Ottawa, and His Britannic Majesty’s Government through the British Ambassador at Washington may issue certificates of exemption from military service to Americans and Canadians, respectively, upon application or otherwise, within sixty days from the date of the exchange of ratifications of this Convention or within thirty days from the date when such citizens or subjects become liable to military service in accordance with Article I, provided that the applications be made or the certificates be granted prior to their entry into the military service of either country. Such certificates may be special or general, temporary or conditional and may be modified, renewed, or revoked in the discretion of the Government granting them. Persons holding such certificates shall, so long as the certificates are in force, not be liable to military service in the country in which they are.

Article IV

The Government of the United States and the Government of Canada will, respectively, so far as possible facilitate the return of Canadians and Americans who may desire to return to their own country for military service, but shall not be responsible for providing transport or the cost of transport for such persons.

Article V

No citizen or subject of either country who, under the provisions of this Convention, enters the military service of the other shall, by reason of such service be considered, after this Convention shall have expired or after his discharge, to have lost his nationality or to be under any allegiance to the United States or to His Britannic Majesty as the case may be.

Article VI

The present Convention shall be ratified by the President of the United States of America by and with the advice and consent of the Senate of the United States and by His Britannic Majesty and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington or at London as soon as possible. It shall come into operation on the date on which the ratifications are exchanged and shall remain in force until the expiration of sixty days after either of the contracting parties shall have given notice of termination to the other; whereupon any citizen or subject of either country incorporated into the military service of the other under this Convention shall be as soon as possible discharged therefrom.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Convention and have affixed thereto their seals.

Done in duplicate at Washington the third day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen.

Robert Lansing [seal]

Reading [seal]

And whereas the said Convention has been duly ratified on both parts and the ratifications of the two governments were exchanged in the City of London, on the thirtieth day of July, one thousand nine hundred and eighteen;

Now, therefore, be it known that I, Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States of America, have caused the said Convention to be made public, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

[seal] Done in the District of Columbia this thirtieth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and forty-third.

Woodrow Wilson

By the President:
Frank L. Polk
Acting Secretary of State.

1. Ratification advised by the Senate, June 24, 1918; ratified by the President, June 28, 1918; ratified by Great Britain, July 1, 1918; ratifications exchanged at London, July 30, 1918; proclaimed, July 30, 1918.