311.2222 (1940)/559

The Secretary of State to the Finnish Minister ( Procopé )

Memorandum

The Finnish Minister’s memorandum of February 18, 1942 referred to the application of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 to the following classes of Finnish citizens in the United States:

(1)
Persons possessing the nationality of both Finland and the United States
(2)
Finnish nationals who have declared their intention of becoming American citizens
(3)
Finnish nationals who are not permanent residents of the United States
(4)
Finnish nationals permanently residing in the United States

With reference to the persons in classes (1) and (2) it was stated that the Finnish Government does not desire to make representations in so far as the extension of the provisions of the Act to such persons is concerned. Concerning the persons in classes (3) and (4) the view was expressed that such persons should be exempt from the provisions of the Act.

With respect to the persons in class (3) the Finnish Minister’s attention is called to amendment no. 18 to the Selective Service regulations, second edition, which may be found on page 855 of the Federal Register for February 10, 1942. It will be apparent therefrom that certain aliens temporarily in the United States may make application for a determination of their residence and in the event it is found that they are not residing in the United States within the meaning of the Selective Training and Service Act they may be issued an Alien’s Certificate of Non-Residence, exempting them from compliance with the provisions of section 2 or section 3 of the Act.

With respect to persons in class (4) attention is called to the following proviso in section 3 (a) of the Act, as amended:

That any citizen or subject of a neutral country shall be relieved from liability for training and service under this Act if, prior to his [Page 488] induction into the land or naval forces, he has made application to be relieved from such liability in the manner prescribed by and in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the President, but any person who makes such application shall thereafter be debarred from becoming a citizen of the United States.