611.429/905
The Secretary of State to the British Ambassador (Geddes)
Excellency: I have the honor to bring to your attention Senate Joint Resolution No. 36, of the 67th Congress, authorizing the appointment of a commission to confer with the Dominion Government of Canada, or the provincial governments thereof, as to certain restrictive orders in council of the said Provinces relative to the exportation of pulp wood and paper therefrom to the United States.
The text of this resolution is as follows:
“Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint a commission of five persons and, by appropriate authority, to confer on this commission the power, on behalf of the administration and the Congress, to negotiate with said Dominion Government, also with the provincial governments thereof, in respect to the cancellation of said restrictive orders in council, and as well any other restrictions on the exportation of pulp wood and newsprint and other printing paper composed of mechanical and chemical products of pulp and pulp wood, from the Dominion of Canada to the United States.
- “Sec. 2. That in the event the cancellation of said restrictive orders in council can not be agreed to by mutual arrangement of the Governments of the United States of America and the Dominion of Canada, that the commission shall investigate, consider, and report to the President, on or before December 1, 1921, what action in its opinion should be taken by the Congress that will aid in securing the cancellation of the restrictive orders in council, so that they may not continue to militate against the interests of the people of the United States.
- Sec. 3. That for the necessary expenses of said commission the sum of $10,000 be, and it is hereby, appropriated from the moneys in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated: Provided, however, That the members of the commission shall serve without compensation.
“Approved, August 15, 1921.”
I have the honor to request that you ascertain from the Canadian Government whether direct negotiations of the nature contemplated by the Joint Resolution will be agreeable to that Government, and, [Page 301] if so, whether the Canadian Government will indicate a place and time at which the negotiations may commence. In this connection, I wish to draw your attention to the stipulation in the Joint Resolution to the effect that the American Commissioners are to submit a report of the negotiations to the Congress on or before December 1, 1921. In view of the short time remaining, I shall greatly appreciate the expedition of a reply from the Canadian Government.
Accept [etc.]