Treaty Series No. 636
Convention between the United States and France Providing for Reciprocal Military Service, Signed at Washington, September 3, 19181
By the President of the United States of America
A PROCLAMATION
Whereas a Convention between the United States of America and the French Republic providing for the reciprocal military service of citizens of the United States in France and citizens of the French Republic in the United States, was concluded and signed by their respective Plenipotentiaries at Washington, on the third day of September, one thousand nine hundred and eighteen, the original of which Convention, being in the English and French languages, is word for word as follows:2
The President of the United States of America and the President of the French Republic, being convinced that for the better prosecution of the present war it is desirable that American citizens in France and citizens of France 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 the President of the French Republic, J. J. Jusserand, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary 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 France and all male citizens of France in the United States shall, unless before the time [Page 724] limited by this Convention they enlist or enroll in the forces of their own country or return to the United States or France, 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 citizens of the United States in France, 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 citizens of France in the United States the ages for military service shall be for the time being twenty to forty-four years, both inclusive.
Article II
Citizens of the United States and citizens of France within the age limits aforesaid who desire to enter the military service of their own country must enlist or enroll or must leave France 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 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 and the Government of the French Republic may, through their respective diplomatic representatives, issue certificates of exemption from military service to citizens of the United States in France and citizens of France in the United States, 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 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.
[Page 725]Article IV
The Government of the United States and the Government of the French Republic will, respectively, so far as possible facilitate the return of citizens of France and of the United States 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 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 France, 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 the President of the French Republic, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington or at Paris 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 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 3rd day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eighteen.
Robert Lansing [seal]
Jusserand [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 Washington on the eighth day of November, 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.
[Page 726]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 eleventh day of November 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.
By the President:
Robert Lansing
Secretary of State.