711.42157SA29/1323a
The Secretary of State
to the Minister in Canada (Robbins)
No. 551
[Washington,] November 19,
1934.
Sir: For your confidential information
there is enclosed a copy of that portion of a memorandum of a press
conference at the White House on November 9, 1934, which pertains to
a discussion of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Deep Waterway
Treaty.
Very truly yours,
For the Secretary of State:
William Phillips
[Enclosure]
Memorandum by the Acting Chief of the Division
of Current Information (Key)
[Washington,] November 9,
1934.
At the press conference at the White House this afternoon, the
President was asked whether there were any changes contemplated
in the
[Page 979]
Great Lakes–St.
Lawrence Waterway. The President informed the correspondents
that when Mr. Phillips was in Ottawa last week he had spoken
informally with the Canadian Prime Minister in regard to one or
two minor changes which it was hoped might be made in the
treaty.72 The President
added that this was literally all that Mr. Phillips had
discussed with the Prime Minister on the Waterway Treaty.
A correspondent enquired whether these changes related to Article
8 of the Treaty governing diversion of water. The President
replied that the Chicago papers might as well get it into their
heads for once and all that there would be no changes regarding
the diversion of water from Lake Michigan. He stated that ever
since common law had first started it had been a principle that
a person living on a stream or river could use the water for
drinking purposes, for watering stock or for running a mill, but
that the water used had to be returned to the stream in order
that the rights of other persons living further down the stream
should not be prejudiced. What was a fundamental principle in
common law applied equally to international law. It was clear,
therefore, that the United States had no right to divert water
from one country to another. The President added that
furthermore the Supreme Court had decided that the United States
had no right to divert water from the Great Lakes and, finally,
the War Department, which had thoroughly investigated the
situation had likewise decided that Chicago had ample supplies
of water to meet its needs.
The President concluded by saying, “They’ve got enough water.
They’ve had enough water and they won’t get any more water.”
[The remainder of this memorandum deals with other matters.]