711.429/278
The Minister in Canada (MacNider) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 13.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department’s instruction No. 19 of September 17, 1930, (File No. 711.429/265), transmitting to the Legation for presentation to the Canadian Government further proposals and suggestions based on consideration of the Canadian counter-proposals of May 22, 1930,9 in connection with the proposed convention to supplement the anti-smuggling convention between the United States and Canada of June 6, 1924. The American reply to the Canadian counterproposals, embodied in the shape of a note, was presented to the Canadian Department of External Affairs on the first instant.
When discussing the matter informally, Dr. Skelton the Under–Secretary of State for External Affairs who is now absent on leave, stated that it would not be possible to reply to this note until Mr. Bennett9a shall have returned from the Imperial Conference in London and given the suggested changes his consideration. He said that, moreover, account must be taken of the possibility that the present Government may not see eye to eye with the late Liberal government [Page 503] in the matter of such parts of the draft as have already been approved in negotiation; he did not, however, mean that he actually knew of such a difference in views since, apparently, the new Government has had no opportunity to examine into the matter. No oral discussion was attempted as regards the changes proposed in the Department’s instruction under acknowledgment, since Dr. Skelton stated that these changes would have to be studied by other interested Government departments before the stage of oral discussion or reply could be reached.
The Department’s instructions with regard to the possible withdrawal of the suggestions for changes in lines 1 to 5 of Article I and line 5 of Article III, have been noted, and should stubborn opposition be encountered, the suggestions will be withdrawn. Needless to say, no mention of this possibility has been made in the note to the Canadian Government, but in response to a suggestion from the Legation, the Department of External Affairs has agreed to have an oral discussion before transmitting the final reply, should any of the desired changes prove definitely inacceptable.
Respectfully yours,