League of Nations and their nationals, notwithstanding the fact that the United States was not a member of the League of Nations. Article 3 provided that vested American property rights in the mandated territories shall be respected and in no way impaired.

Article 34 of the Treaty of Lausanne, signed on July 24, 1923, between the Allied Powers and Turkey provides as follows:

"Subject to any agreements which it may be necessary to conclude between the Governments exercising authority in the countries detached from Turkey and the Governments of the countries where the persons concerned are resident, Turkish nationals of over eighteen years of age who are natives of a territory detached from Turkey under the present Treaty, and who on its coming into force are habitually resident abroad, may opt for the nationality of the territory of which they are natives, if they belong by race to the majority of the population of that territory, and subject to the consent of the Government exercising authority therein. This right of option must be exercised within two years from the coming into force of the present Treaty."

tain persons of Syrian or Lebanese origin, habitually resident abroad on the entrance into force of the Treaty of Lausanne (August 30, 1924), had the right to opt for Syrian or Lebanese nationality during the 2-year period between August 30, 1924, and August 30, 1926. In the event such person did not opt for Syrian or Lebanese nationality they were considered, under the terms of the treaty, to have retained their Turkish nationality. It is understood that many persons of Syrian or Lebanese origin, habitually resident abroad, did not exercise their right of option within the prescribed period.

On May 29, 1937, the Turkish Government and the French Government, the latter acting on behalf of the mandated territories of Syria and of Lebanon, entered into a further agreement on this subject. The pertinent provisions of this agreement read as follows:

"Persons of Syrian or Lebanese origin who were established abroad on August 30, 1924, and have neglected to opt within the time limits fixed in Article 34 of the Treaty of Lausanne

for the nationality in force in their country of origin may exercise this right of option within a period of one year as from the date of the adoption of the present provisions."

The effect of this agreement was merely to renew, as from May 29, 1937, to May 29, 1938, the right which persons of Syrian or Lebanese origin had been granted by article 34 of the Treaty of Lausanne to opt for the nationality in force in their country of origin.

Under Ottoman law the right of an Ottoman subject to acquire foreign nationality was not recognized unless the prior consent of the Ottoman Government had been obtained. Since the nationality laws in force in Syria and in Lebanon were based on the old Ottoman law, difficulties arose soon after World War I with respect to the right of the United States to extend protection in Syria and in Lebanon to American naturalized citizens of Syrian or Lebanese origin. With a view to clarifying this situation the American Consulate General at Beirut and the French High Commission in that city concluded an agreement by exchange of notes

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1921. Under the terms of that agreement recognition was given to the right of the American Government to extend tection to naturalized American citizens of Syrian or Lebanese origin who, under American law, were entitled to such protection. The Department has no reason to believe that the present governments of Syria and of Lebanon will not continue to give effect to the agreement.

Accordingly, American citizens of Syrian or Lebanese origin who visit their native countries temporarily, and who under American law are entitled to receive protection, will presumably continue to be regarded as American citizens by the Syrian and Lebanese authorities.

(a) Effect upon American citizenship of option for Syrian or Lebanese citizenship. The exercise of option for Syrian or Lebanese nationality by naturalized American citizens of Syrian or Lebanese origin would be inconsistent with the obligations which they assumed when, in obtaining naturalization as citizens of the United States, they swore allegiance to the

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United States and renounced allegiance to the states of which they were formerly nationals. The exercise of such option by naturalized American citizens of Syrian or Lebanese origin would also endanger their status and rights as citizens of the United States.

(b) Property rights. It has been the understanding of the Department that the laws in force in Syria and in Lebanon permitted foreigners to inherit real property there, provided that the law of the country of which the foreigner was a national accorded similar rights to nationals of Syria and of Lebanon. It was also understood by the Department that American citizens of Syrian or Lebanese origin would be permitted to inherit real property in Syria and in Lebanon, provided that the laws of the state of which such citizens were residents accorded a similar right to nationals of Syria and Lebanon. The Department has no reason to believe that the laws of the present governments of Syria and of Lebanon pertaining to the inheritance of real property have been changed so as to