File No. 851.4054/13
The French Ambassador ( Jusserand) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 1.]
Mr. Secretary of State: In view of the growing number of applications coming in from all quarters, the Government of the Republic again brings to my notice its desire that steps should be taken at the earliest moment with the Federal Government to bring to a conclusion the agreement which is to regulate the solemnization in France of marriages of American soldiers and French women.
I was given at the same time with more precision than I was able to impart in my note of March 28 last to Your Excellency the provisions which in our opinion should be embodied in that instrument and the particulars on which the two Governments should come to an early agreement.
The provisions are as follows:
Any American soldier in order to marry a French woman in France during the stay of the American Armies in France would be required to produce the following papers that would be sufficient:
- 1.
- An affidavit (or declaration in writing under oath) in which the soldier concerned should define and affirm his civil status and [Page 767] capacity to contract marriage. The soldier shall be permitted to offer in place of that paper the affidavit of a third party to establish his civil status and capacity to contract marriage.
- 2.
- A certificate (or attestation) by which the American military authorities to whose command the soldier belongs should corroborate the statements in the affidavit. Should the American soldier declare that he is not a bachelor, but a widower or divorced husband, he would have to produce, according to the circumstances:
- 3.
- A certificate of the proper Federal authorities showing either that the woman of whom the affiant declares himself to be the widower is deceased or that the decree of divorce is final.
My Government would further consider it desirable to insert in the future agreement the following stipulations:
The American soldier should make in his affidavit all the usual statements under the Army regulations of the United States as to his military status and assignment on that date.
It would also be expedient to decide what American military authorities will be competent to certify to the statements in the affidavit of a soldier belonging to corps of the American service (commanding officer of the unit, corps, or service).
Finally it would also be advisable likewise to decide what are or will be the competent Federal authorities that will eventually issue either the certificate of death of the woman of whom the soldier declares he is the widower, or the certificate that the decree granting him his divorce is final.
I should be very thankful to Your Excellency if after consultation with the Honorable the Secretary of War, you would kindly acquaint me with the views of the Federal Government on the suggestions I have had the honor to offer herein in behalf of my Government and let me know whether you are ready to adopt the above stated rules. If Your Excellency were pleased to accept them, you would greatly oblige me by communicating to me in the form of a draft the text which you would sign with me, and also the instructions which the War Department would propose to issue on the subject to the American Armies in France.
Be pleased to accept [etc.]