868.012/16
The Consul at Saloniki (Pisar) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 6.]
Sir: I have the honor to bring to the attention of the Department the following information regarding the compulsory naturalization [Page 45] in Greece of naturalized American citizens who formerly were Turkish nationals of the Greek Orthodox religion, under certain provisions of an annex to the Treaty of Lausanne,61 and to request the Department’s opinion of the value of the contention of the Greek Government that such persons come within the purview of this convention.
As the Department is aware, there was signed at Lausanne on January 30, 1923, a convention which is in the nature of an annex to the Treaty of Lausanne, concerning the exchange of populations.
- Article 1 of this convention provides that “beginning with May 1, 1923, there shall take place a compulsory exchange of Turkish nationals of the Greek Orthodox religion established in Turkish territory, and of Greek nationals of the Moslem religion established in Greek territory.”
- Article 3 of the convention provides that “those Greeks and Moslems who had previously, and since the 18th of October, 1912, left the territories of which the inhabitants were to be exchanged should be included in the exchange provided for in Article one.”
- Article 7 of the convention provides that “the emigrants will lose the nationality of the country which they are leaving, and will acquire the nationality of the country of their destinations upon their arrival in the territory of the latter country.”
“Such emigrants as have already left one or the other of the two countries and had not yet acquired their new nationality, shall acquire that nationality on the date of signing of the present convention.”
The provisions of this convention were not apparently enforced by the Greek Government until the beginning of this year. Since then a number of naturalized American citizens who were formerly Turkish nationals belonging to the Greek Orthodox religion, and who have come to Saloniki, have been obliged to submit to a compulsory naturalization as Greek citizens.
In each case these men left Turkey after October 18, 1912, and were naturalized as citizens of the United States without at first obtaining the permission of the Greek Government in order to have that Government acknowledge their naturalization as foreign citizens.
Upon their arrival in Saloniki they were instructed by the police to present themselves at the City Hall for registration as Greek citizens. No oath of allegiance, however, was required of them. In one or two instances the police retained their American passports but after representations were made by this consulate to the local authorities against this procedure, they have discontinued to do so. After registration as Greek citizens, they become liable to the military service laws of Greece, and are either obliged to serve or are permitted to purchase their exemption upon the payment of a certain [Page 46] sum of money. After they have complied with all the requirements of the Greek laws pertaining to military service they are given permission to leave Greece. This permission is usually given in the nature of a visa to their military discharge papers.
For the information of the Department there is enclosed, herewith, a list of the American citizens62 who have reported to this consulate that they have been obliged to register themselves as Greek citizens under the provisions of the above mentioned convention.
I have [etc.]