740.0011 European War 1939/31156/8: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France ( Bullitt )
425. Your 726, May 17, 7 p.m. Canadian Legation has been informed orally and secretly to the following effect:
We realize that the Canadian Government has been leaning over backwards in the matter of not incorporating Americans in the Canadian armed forces; we further realize that Canada would never under any circumstances recruit in this country or try to circumvent in any ways our enlistment laws; we further understand that Americans enlisting in the Canadian Air Force or other armed forces in Canada are not required to take an oath of allegiance to the King (merely an oath to obey orders given), and hence would not lose their American citizenship. Now, if Mr. Mackenzie King wished to adopt a more liberal policy and to indicate in some careful manner (without of course indicating in any way that the matter had been discussed with American authorities) that Americans of proper age who of their own volition came to Canada and desired to join the air corps or other fighting forces would not be automatically turned down, this would not be embarrassing to Washington.
The Canadian Chargé said this message would be most welcome and that he would convey it to Mr. Mackenzie King without delay and in complete confidence.