196.6/1077
The Italian Embassy to the Department of State
Memorandum
The Italian Ambassador wishes to call attention to the fact that the Senate has passed a Bill (S 2945) which amends the Seaman’s Act of March 4, 1915, and is relating to the payment of wages and allotments due to seamen of foreign vessels.
The Italian Ambassador desires to point out that, while said Bill provides that the Courts of the United States shall be open to seamen for claims concerning payments of wages irrespective of whether these wages were earned upon a vessel of the United States or a foreign vessel, Article XI of the Consular Convention between Italy and the United States disposes that the Royal Italian Consular Officials shall alone take cognizance of such questions.