611.4231/843
Memerandum by the Secretary of State
The Canadian Minister2 called to inquire about the progress of our proposed commercial and economic policy, with special reference to prospects for mutually profitable trade readjustment plans with Canada. I merely repeated to him that the Administration had not yet reached a point where the desired authority from Congress to negotiate commercial treaties and place them in operation without ratification by the Senate could well be taken up; that it was hoped that this might be done at an early date, and, of course, that it was all-important from the standpoint of liberalizing commercial policy, through the negotiation of reciprocal commercial treaties, that this Congressional authority be first secured. The Minister expressed the hope that this could be accomplished, but he suggested that, in the event of its failure in Congress, it might be feasible to bring about certain trade readjustments by selecting a number of different items the exchange of which would be equally profitable to Canadians and Americans.
I replied that we would first hope for the congressional authority and in case of its failure, that we would then look to the next best alternative which would at least include his suggestions. He seemed very desirous of taking some small step at least towards more liberal trade relations.
- Maj. William Duncan Herridge.↩