Evening star., 1918-01-30
AGREE ON MUTUAL
| DRAFT REGULATIONS
U. S., Canada and Great
Britain Await Only Sigma
tures Of Representatives.
AFFECTS CITIZENS ABROAD

Agreement between the United States
and Great Britain and Canada on the
terms Of separate conseription conven-
tions, which only await the signatures
Of the representatives of the govern
ments concerned, was announced today
by Secretary Lansing. i'll letter to
Chairman Dent of the House mill
tary committee.
The conventions give the citizens OF
each country the option of returning
to their own country for military serv-
ice within "A fixed period. after which
they would be subject to military duty
under the laws and regulations of the
country in which they reside. They
would also permit each country to eX-
If deemed necessary.
Secretary Lansings letter to Chair
man Dent said:
in reply to your request to be in
formed to what has been done in the
negotiation of agreements with the
cobelligerents of the United States in
the present war in respect to compul-
sorry military service in the United
States of their citizens or subjects re-
siding here, it gives me pleasure to
make the following statement:
LAS you are aware. as soon as suit
able proposal could be formulated in
conjunction with the War Department.
1t was submitted to the co-belligerents
of the United States, as basis for
diplomatic negotiations. AS negotio-
tions proceeded with the European ma
tions. unforeseen difficulties interposed
themselves: as for example. the revo-
luton in Russia, and the German drive
in Italy, which made it necessary for
the time being to press more strongly
negotiations in other quarters.
For this reason. and also on account
of the fact that the laws and conditions
in Great Britain and Canada were more
nearly like those in the United States,
negotiations proceeded more rapidly
with those countries.
Moreover, in the interest of obta in
ing agreements with the European ma
tions as nearly uniform as possible for
reasons of efficient administration in
the United States. it was deemed best
to reach an agreement. If possible, with
some country which might be used as
a model for the agreements with the
other countries
Countries in Agreement.
at is with pleasure, therefore, that
/ have to report that at the present
time we are in agreement with Great
Britain and with Canada as to the
terms of separate conscription conven-
tions, which now, but for a few verbal
changes. await the signature of the rep
resentatives of the governments con-
cerned before being sent to the Senate.
I'm brief these conventions, which
are in effect practically alike. give to
persons under the convention the op-
ton to return to their own country for
military service within certain lin
tied period. After the expiration of
this period such persons are subject to
military service under the laws and
regulations Of the country in which
they choose to remain. provided that
for British and Canadians in the
United States the ages for military
service shall be twenty to forty years.
both inclusive, and in respect to Amer
fcans in Great Britain and Canada, the
ages for military service shall be lin
tied to those of the draft act of May Is.
1917.
These conventions also give the
right to the contracting parties to ex-
empt their citizens or subjects from
military service abroad in case it is re-
garded as necessary or desirable The
remaining provisions Of the convention
are Of less Importance and need not be
mentioned here"