should, before visiting such countries, consider the advisability of inquiring of the appropriate authorities thereof whether they will be immune from molestation in such countries under the military service or other laws. The Department of State does not act as intermediary in such inquiries.

The following information is believed to be correct, but is not to be considered as official insofar as it relates to the laws and regulations of a foreign government:

40a. ALBANIA. It is understood that the American naturalization of persons of Albanian origin will be recognized by the Albanian Government, and that such persons, and the members of their families, will be exempt from obligations under Albanian law which are imposed on Albanian subjects.

It is also understood that persons who are born in the United States of Albanian parents and maintain their habitual residence in the United States will be permitted to visit Albania temporarily without being held liable for military or other national service.

41. ESTONIA. According to paragraph 20 of the Estonian nationality law of October 27, 1922,

the loss of Estonian nationality is conditional on obtaining authorization from the Estonian Minister of the Interior. The application for authorization to renounce Estonian nationality must be accompanied by a certificate showing the acquisition of a foreign nationality. Consequently Estonian nationals who have become nationals of the United States and have not applied for and obtained authorization to renounce their Estonian nationality are considered under the law of Estonia to be nationals of that country. Under paragraph 1 of the Estonian law on military service, all male nationals of Estonia are liable for military service.

According to paragraph 2 of the Estonian law on nationality, children born without the territory of Estonia of a father who is an Estonian national are held to be Estonian nationals. Paragraph 6 of the same law expressly provides that no citizen of the Estonian Republic can be at one and the same time a citizen of another state. Consequently a person who was born in the United States of an Estonian father and who therefore acquired both American and Estonian nationality at birth is considered by the Estonian Government to have but one nationality, namely, Estonian.

It is understood that the Estonian Government, in view of the provisions of the nationality and military service laws of Estonia, is not prepared to permit persons who have not applied for and obtained authorization to re

nounce their Estonian nationality to visit Estonia without being required to perform military service or other acts of allegiance. This is understood to apply to persons born in Estonia and naturalized in the United States and to persons born in the United States of Estonian parents. It is understood that, in practice, persons who have presented an appropriate certificate, required under Estonian law to prove their nationality in a foreign country, have experienced no difficulty in renouncing their Estonian nationality.

41a. FINLAND. The Finnish "Law Regarding the Loss of Finnish Citizenship of June 17, 1927, provides for the loss, in certain circumstances, of the Finnish citizenship of Finnish citizens born outside of Finland, and of Finnish citizens born in Finland who become citizens of other countries.

With respect to Finnish citizens born outside of Finland, article 2 of the law cited provides, among other things, as follows:

A Finnish citizen who was born outside of Finland and has never had his domicile in Finland and has not been in the active military service of Finland as a conscript and has not attended a Finnish or Swedish educational institution in Finland for at least two years, loses his Finnish citizenship at the age of 22 years,

unless the President of the Republic, upon petition, makes a decision to the contrary. The Department understands that a person who loses his Finnish citizenship in this manner is not, during a subsequent stay in Finland, held liable for military service or any other obligation of citizenship.

With respect to Finnish citizens born in Finland, who acquire the citizenship of another country through naturalization, article 1 of the law cited provides as follows:

A Finnish citizen who becomes a citizen of another country loses his Finnish citizenship if his domicile is outside of Finland or if he resides abroad.

However, a male citizen of Finland, whose age is between 17 and 28 years and who has not fulfilled as a conscript his active military service, and who has not been legally exempted from military service, may lose his Finnish citizenship only by means of a special decree of the President of the Republic.

It may be added, in this connection, that the Department is informed that the laws of Finland contain no provisions for the renunciation of acquired foreign citizenship through the mere act of returning to and residing in Finland.

42. FRANCE. The Department of State has been advised by the French Government that American citizens of French origin who visit France and who, under French military service

as

laws, may be considered as deserters or defaulters will be dealt with as hereinafter indicated.

A. DESERTERS

Deserters are divided into two classes, namely:

(a) Deserters before the outbreak of hostilities;

(b) Deserters after the beginning of the war, the great majority of whom consist of men who did not join their units at the expiration of a leave to the United States.

Concerning persons falling within one of these classes, the French Government states that their naturalization in the United States could not possibly entitle them to any special favor; that regardless of the date on which they acquire American nationality they remain liable to all the military obligations due to France; and that their situation cannot be determined otherwise than by a judicial decision.

B. DEFAULTERS

American citizens of French origin coming within the following categories are considered by the French Government as military defaulters:

1. Those declared delinquent prior to August 2, 1914, for failure to respond to an order to report and a transportation order, whether convoking them to fulfill their obligations in active service, or to serve in the reserve, or in the territorial army.