125.0065/200: Telegram

The Ambassador in Italy ( Phillips ) to the Secretary of State

844. Wadsworth7 has just returned from the Foreign Office where the following note was handed to him by Count Vitetti:7a

“The Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs has the honor to bring to the knowledge of the Embassy of the United States of America the following: The Italian Government which has been following for some time the activities of the Consulates of the United States in the Kingdom has, after careful evaluation of the facts, come to the conclusion that these activities have gone and go in many instances far beyond the functions which are attributed and permitted to consular offices and are assuming a character especially in the field of information that is wholly illicit and in any case incompatible with the duties which are incumbent upon Consuls towards the country in which they perform their functions.

In bringing to the knowledge of the Embassy of the United States of America this regrettable fact the Italian Government finds itself obliged to ask the Government of the United States to be good enough to take appropriate steps to the end that the functionaries and employees of North American nationality of the consular offices of the United States in the Kingdom and in the territories placed under Italian sovereignty or occupied by our troops be withdrawn in the near future and in any case prior to July 15 by which date the Italian Government asks that the Consulates of the United States in the Kingdom and in the said territories kindly be closed.

The Italian Government reserves the right to proceed to the closing of the offices of the American Express Company.”

Phillips
  1. George Wadsworth, Counselor of Embassy in Italy.
  2. Count Leonardo Vitetti, Director General in the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs.