Hopkins Papers
The Canadian Ambassador (Pearson) to the President’s Special Assistant (Hopkins)
and personal
Dear Mr. Hopkins, I have just received from our Prime Minister a reply to the message delivered to him by the Military Attaché of the United States Embassy in Ottawa, on your behalf.1 Mr. King’s message to you is as follows:
“I fully share the President’s view that it would be undesirable at this time to take over the whole of the Château Frontenac though I am told that the physical layout of the hotel would make it difficult to shut off a particular section or floors of the building. However I have instructed Mr. Coleman who is in charge of local arrangements to go into the matter very carefully with the management on Monday.
“As regards representation of the press, I may say that I have already assured Mr. Churchill that the Canadian authorities will do everything they can to carry out his own and the President’s wishes in this matter. I have suggested to Mr. Churchill (and a copy of my message2 has been communicated to Mr. Early) that if no special arrangements are to be made for newspaper men who may insist on being present at Quebec while the meetings are taking place, it will be necessary to inform the Canadian newspapers in confidence and in advance of the meetings that it is the express wish of the President and Mr. Churchill that the news of the conference should rest on the communiqué to be issued at its conclusion. I assume that similar advice will be given in Washington and London to United States and United [Page 34] Kingdom newspapers and news services which may expect to have representatives at Quebec during the meetings. I feel that I should perhaps make it clear that no newspaper men were invited to Quebec at the time of the last meeting by any Canadian authority. In fact my recollection is that they were all explicitly warned that no hard news could be expected during the meeting and that speculative reports could only be harmful. I shall gladly see that such warnings are given again and more strongly, but I should not like to leave you or the President under any possible misapprehension that Canadian news paper men had been invited to be present at Quebec during last year’s meetings.
“Would you please assure the President of my great desire to have his washes met in every particular and please do not hesitate yourself to let me know of any way in which I can be helpful.
“Kindest remembrances to the President and yourself.
“W. L. Mackenzie King.”
If there is any point arising out of this message which you wish to discuss with me I will be glad to see you at any time.
Sincerely,