811.111 Quota/118
The Secretary of State to the Italian Ambassador ( Ricci )
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your notes of January 24 and February 25, 1922, in which you make certain suggestions as to the Legislation on immigration under consideration by the Committees of the United States Senate and of the United States House of Representatives.
The contents of the two notes mentioned above have received attentive consideration, particularly the following passage in your note of January 24:
“Your Excellency will allow me to observe that now that the results of the 1920 Census are not only known, but published, the establishing of the quotas, on the 1910 Census would result in an open discrimination between peoples of different nationalities, a course which would be in violation of existing treaties which provide the equality of rights and of treatment.”
Since you do not state what treaty stipulations you consider would be contravened by the proposed law, the Department is not in a position [Page 582] at this time to enter into a discussion of this matter. However, it may be observed that the effect of the proposed law on the existing treaty stipulations has been considered by the Department, which reached the opinion that it would contravene no provisions of existing treaties. The restrictions imposed by the proposed law are of a general character and, therefore, do not appear to be discriminatory against Italy or any other country.
Copies of your notes are being sent, for their consideration, to the Chairman of the Committee on Immigration of the United States Senate and to the Chairman of the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization of the United States House of Representatives.
Accept [etc.]