File No. 093./13a
[Untitled]
Department of State,
Washington,
June 27, 1916.
To the Diplomatic and Consular Officers of the United
States
Gentlemen: There is printed on the overleaf,
for the information and guidance of the diplomatic and consular officers
of the United States, the text of an executive order, dated June 23,
1916, directing them to refuse to accept, for transmission, gifts which
citizens or subjects of foreign countries may desire to present to the
President, and requiring that the tender of such gifts be made through
the respective diplomatic agents at Washington.
I am [etc.]
Executive Order
It not infrequently happens that diplomatic and consular officers of
the United States are requested to be the medium of transmission of
literary, scientific or artistic works, or other gifts, which
citizens or subjects of foreign countries desire to present to the
President.
In order that the practice in this regard may accord with that
generally observed in the matter of similar presentations to the
heads of other governments, it is hereby ordered that diplomatic and
consular officers of the United States will hereafter, whenever
request is made of them by a citizen or subject of a foreign country
to transmit a gift of any character to the President, refuse to
accept such gift and will advise the donor that it is required that
the presentation be made through the diplomatic representative of
the donor’s government at Washington.
Woodrow Wilson
The White House, 23
June, 1916.
[No. 2406]
