851.117/193
The Ambassador in France (Wallace) to
the Secretary of State
Paris, June 4,
1920.
[Received June 21, 1920.]
No. 1261Sir: Referring to the Department’s Instruction
No. 408 (File No. So–351.117/167) of March 31st, 1920, relative to the
eventual allowance for military service in the American Army by persons
regarded as French citizens, under the French law, I have the honor to
state that I brought this matter in detail to the attention of the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs, asking information on all the points
raised by the Department in the aforesaid Instruction.
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I have the honor to enclose, in copy and translation, the reply received
from the latter,33
together with the text of the communication made by the French
Ambassador at Washington to the Federal Government in the premises. It
is to be noted that the copy of the latter document which is submitted
to the Embassy bears no date and no indication showing to whom it was
addressed.
Annexed to the Note in question, also forwarded in copy and translation,
is the text of the agreement between the French and Italian Governments
granting an allowance for service performed by French citizens in
Italy.33
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation]
The French Ministry for
Foreign Affairs to the French
Ambassador at Washington34
I have the honor to inform you that the Minister of War is disposed
to extend the benefit of the circular of June 3rd, 1915 to Frenchmen
passed over or considered as defaulters who may take service in the
American Army. The terms of this circular are as follows:
By extension of the authorization granted on October 11th last to
French citizens residing in Russia, who found it materially
impossible to return to France, mobilisable men residing abroad who,
prevented by circumstances to rejoin the corps to which they are
assigned, have served during the campaign in the ranks of one of the
allied Powers, shall be considered as having satisfied, for the
duration of the war and in proportion to the time passed under the
colors of this army or in captivity, the military obligations
imposed upon them by French law.
The benefit of this provision may be claimed by all Frenchmen
residing abroad, who, not having been regularly served with the
general mobilization order shall have prior to the summons served on
them since then, enlisted in the armies of one of the allied
Powers.
This favor shall be granted to all Frenchmen concerned, under
reservation that they shall serve on the French front and that their
military status shall be reported to the Minister of War through my
intermediary so that it may be made regular either by the census of
the men passed over, or by the crossing off of the names of the
defaulters on the list of defaulters. The benefit of this measure
shall apply to all those who have been passed over, whether excused
or
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not, on account of the
present difficulty of distinguishing them one from another.
As and when the men concerned are drafted to France, our consuls
shall send me the lists of our defaulting nationals present under
the American colors and these lists shall mention, according to the
case, the last place of residence of these Frenchmen or the
recruiting office at which they are registered on the date of their
engagement in the Federal army and the date on which they are sent
to the French front.
