711.428/745
The Under Secretary of State (Phillips) to President Harding
My Dear Mr. President: I beg to refer to the Secretary’s letter to you of June 16, reporting a conference between Mr. Johnston, Canadian Deputy Minister of Marine, and myself, in regard to the Convention with Canada covering the halibut fisheries. You will recollect that I asked Mr. Johnston whether, if the President should [Page 475] decide to resubmit the Convention to the Senate for ratification without the reservation, the Canadian Government on its part would ratify the Convention at once without the Senate reservation.
Mr. Johnston now reports, after submitting the question to Ottawa, that the Canadian Government is prepared to ratify the treaty as signed and pass the legislation contemplated by Article IV on some reasonable assurance by us that the treaty would be introduced in the forthcoming session of Congress and approved without any reservation.
I should be grateful if you would be so kind as to indicate what response you wish me to make to Canada.
I am [etc.]