711.428/784
The Prime Minister of Canada (Mackenzie King) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 2.]
My Dear Mr. Secretary: I have had an opportunity quite recently of perusing the letters and telegrams that have been exchanged between Mr. Phillips, the Under-Secretary of State at Washington and the Deputy Minister of Marine and Fisheries in the matter of the North Pacific Halibut Treaty.
I am in entire agreement with the view outlined by the Department of Marine and Fisheries and by the Department of Justice that section 9 of the Act passed last session of Parliament should be eliminated. It has therefore been decided that the Minister of Marine and Fisheries will, on behalf of the Government, introduce as early as opportunity will permit after the opening of the forthcoming session of Parliament, the necessary legislation to that end.
In this connection I may be permitted to observe that I am exceedingly anxious that the Treaty should at as early a date as it [Page 337] will be convenient to do so, be ratified in its present form by the Senate of the United States. The Canadian Parliament has been summoned to meet on the 28th of February next. If I were put in a position to announce either at the opening of Parliament or very shortly thereafter, that the Treaty had been ratified, it would go a very long way towards calming the apprehension of those who are more directly interested in the industry on the Pacific Coast. I need scarcely say that anything that can be done to expedite final consideration of the matter will be very sincerely appreciated.
Yours sincerely,