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The Consul General at Melbourne (Sammons) to the Secretary of
State
Melbourne, December 16,
1920.
[Received January 17, 1921.]
No. 433
Subject: Naturalization of American Citizens under
Australian Commonwealth Laws.
Sir: I have the honor respectfully to invite
the Department’s attention to my communication (File No. 130, copy
enclosed) of even date to the Secretary of the Australian Department of
Home and Territories on the above subject, and to request instructions
in the premises.
The Australian Commonwealth authorities in the meantime, regardless of
the notifications I have given in the matter to the effect that our
country is still at war with Germany, continue the naturalization of
American citizens under the Commonwealth Laws.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The American Consul General at Melbourne
(Sammons) to the Australian
Secretary for Home and Territories (Hunt)
Melbourne, December 16,
1920.
Dear Mr. Hunt: With reference to the matter
of the naturalization of American citizens under the Commonwealth
Laws, may I again refer to my letter to you of August 21, 1920,
inviting your attention to the fact that Section II of the Act of
March 2, 1907 of the United States Statutes, reads in part as
follows:
“And provided also, that no American Citizen shall be allowed
to expatriate himself when this country is at
war”.
As you are no doubt aware, peace has not yet been concluded in a
technical sense between my country and Germany and a state of war
exists.
[Page 267]
I have also to call your attention to our conversation of April 12,
1920, when you were advised that it would be impracticable for Mr.
William Cameron to change his citizenship from American to British
allegiance on account of this wartime situation.
In the meantime I am referring this matter to the Department of
State, Washington, D.C.
Faithfully yours,
