File No. 365.117/649

The Secretary of State to the Italian Ambassador ( Macchi di Cellere)

No. 456

Excellency: I have the honor to inform Your Excellency of the receipt of a letter of September 26, from Representative W. Frank James,1 in which he inquires whether naturalized American citizens of Italian birth, who on account of the nature of their employment, are exempted from military service or given deferred classification under the Selective Service Act, would in the event of their return to Italy, be treated as deserters because of their failure to respond to the call to service in Italy.

I shall be pleased to receive an expression of your views regarding the matter.

Accept [etc.]

Robert Lansing
  1. Not printed.