611.429/1010a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Ottawa (Foster)
Department’s telegram July 5th.19
The American interests concerned in the outcome of the resolution authorizing the Governor in Council to prohibit the exportation [Page 496] of pulpwood have made the most earnest representation as to the enormous importance of this subject in the United States. If such a prohibition of export should be carried into effect and maintained, a large number of the newspapers, including many of the most important journals, would go out of business. In fact, almost all the newspaper interests in the country would be immediately and disastrously affected. It is at once apparent that public opinion throughout the United States would be profoundly stirred. Perhaps in no other way would public sentiment be more quickly aroused against what would appear to be unfriendly and unnecessary interference with popular and business interests in this country.
The Department has suggested that representatives of the American interests immediately involved, should proceed to Ottawa and acting on behalf of these interests should emphasize the very real seriousness and danger involved in the situation.
The Department feels that it is scarcely conceivable that the Canadian Government would, in fact, carry out the prohibition of pulpwood to the United States; that, however, in view of the very decided vote in favor of such action, it is necessary that the Canadian Government should realize that the friendship and commercial interests and good relations between the two countries would be vitally affected and that this Government would of course not submit to any such Act subjecting its general welfare without retaliation of a far-reaching character.
The foregoing is sent to you for your confidential information and guidance and not in any way as a formal communication to the Canadian Government or officials. You may, however, use such portions of it, as may seem to you desirable, in your conversations in informally expressing the seriousness with which the matter is regarded.
- Not printed.↩