File No. 851.4054/10
The Acting Secretary of State to the French Ambassador ( Jusserand)
Excellency: I have the honor to refer to your note of January 26, 1918, in which you suggested the necessity of some agreement being made between this Government and the Government of the Republic in order to prevent difficulties which may arise as a result of irregular marriages of French women to soldiers in the American Armies. As you were informed in the Department’s note of February 21,1 the matter was referred to General Pershing for an expression [Page 765] of his views and I have the honor to give as follows, for your information, an extract of a cablegram received from him on this subject:
Have delayed replies awaiting expression of French wishes which has not yet been received. Impossible in most cases for our soldiers to obtain, as do the British, copies of birth certificates and certificate of publication of banns at soldier’s domicile as required by French code. Concur with Judge Advocate General as to affidavit by soldier of competency and that affidavit state whether bachelor, widower or divorced man, but believe that divorced men should be required to produce an authenticated copy of the decree of divorce. Also believe there should be a certificate by the soldier’s company commander that he believes the soldier’s affidavit to be true.
The Secretary of War states that General Pershing has been directed to issue, upon the receipt of an expression of views of the French Government, such instructions as he may deem most expedient to cover such marriages. The Secretary of War has also promised to inform this Department of the final action taken in this matter.
Accept [etc.]
- Not printed.↩