Mr. Dodge to Mr. Hay.
Berlin, December 8, 1902.
Sir: I have the honor to report that on the 19th ultimo the embassy was informed through the consul at Kehl that one Samuel Samuel desired to make a visit at his former home at Weitersweiler, in Elsass, for three, or, if possible, for six months, his uncle having already obtained a permission for him to remain there for two weeks, which would soon expire. Samuel emigrated to the United States in 1895, when he was 17 years of age, having secured a release from his German allegiance, and became naturalized October 9 of the present year. Permission to make the desired visit was immediately requested of the foreign office, and nothing further of the case was heard until on the 6th instant the consul reported that Samuel had been compelled to leave the country and had gone to Switzerland. To-day a note from the foreign office states that permission to make a longer sojourn at his former home can not be granted, and that, after full consideration of his case, no ground was apparent which made it possible to make an exception for him to the established principle. The wishes of the embassy had so far been taken into account that upon his uncle’s application he had been given permission to remain for fourteen days.
It is to be noted in this case that Samuel was a native of the “Reichsland,” to which Germany does not admit that our naturalization treaties apply. Further, the usually unfavorable circumstances were presented of emigration nearly at the military age and return almost immediately after naturalization, just when the men about of his own age were performing their military duty, thus not improbably causing dissatisfaction among them.
I have, etc.,