711.428/784
The Secretary of State to the Prime Minister of Canada ( Mackenzie King )
My Dear Mr. Mackenzie King: I have not failed to consider most carefully the questions relating to the ratification of the North Pacific Halibut Treaty and I was highly gratified to receive your letter of January thirtieth stating that you were in entire agreement with the view, outlined by the Dominion Department of Marine and Fisheries and by the Department of Justice that section 9 of the Act passed at the last session of the Dominion Parliament should be eliminated. From the advices that I have received from the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate I am convinced that it will not be possible for this Government to proceed to the ratification of the treaty until the legislation repealing section 9 has been enacted. I am glad to be advised of the intention of your Government to introduce a bill to that effect and I am quite confident that as soon as the bill has been passed the United States Senate will give its assent to the treaty and it may then promptly be ratified by the President.
With assurance [etc.]