File No. 36J.117271.
The Secretary of State to the American Chargé d’Affaires.
Washington, July 16, 1913.
Sir: The Department sends you herewith a copy of a letter1 of July 9, from Mr. Morris Reich, of New York City, concerning the arrest in Galicia of his brother, Julius Reich, a naturalized citizen of the United States. It appears that his brother was kept in jail in Pruchnik from June 2 until June 6, and that his naturalization certificate, which was taken up by the local officials, as well as forty dollars which he was required to pay as a bond, was never returned to him. It appears further that this case has already been presented to you and that you have communicated with the Foreign Office in Vienna concerning it.
From the application upon which passport No. 3644 was issued to Julius Reich April 23, 1913, it appears that he was born in Lubaczow, Austria, August 15, 1888, emigrated to this country December 11, 1899, and obtained naturalization as a citizen of the United States in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, April 28, 1911.
From the information before the Department it does not appear that Mr. Reich, who left Galicia and came to this country when a young boy, was liable to punishment under the provision of the second article of the Naturalization Convention of 1871 between the United States and Austria-Hungary. So far as the Department is informed the arrest and imprisonment of Mr. Reich and the retention of his naturalization certificate and bond were entirely unwarranted, and it is inferred that the apparent injustice was due to the error of over-zealous local officials. If, as a result of your inquiries, this appears to be the case, you will please express the earnest hope of this Government that such instructions will be issued to the local officials that cases of this kind may not arise in the future. You will also ask for the immediate return of Mr. Reich’s certificate of naturalization and the money referred to.
I am [etc,]
- Not printed.↩