| Show Our Jur Government How How Jt t Operates By William Bruckart TREATY NEGOTIATIONS THE TIIE United States and Canada Canada Canada- have havo just lately concluded a treaty that represents an agreement between our government and that ot of our neighbor on the north where where- whereby whereby whereby by a 11 deep waterway will wUl be con con- constructed constructed connecting the Great Likes Lakes I and the Atlantic ocean It Is a n gi- gi gigantic gi gigantic gantic engineering project that Is contemplated It has vast potential potential- potentialities potentialities for our people and their com commerce merce and It will stand through the years ears as a monument to the genius ot of two peoples who desire to see opportunities utilized for Cor the good goodof goodof ot of all But behind the formal signing ot of that treaty which took place pInce In the Department of State here In the Capital city lies many ramifications and maneuvers They are called negotiations at the end and they represent as well as any In history the processes through n which na nn na- na nations nations must go In reaching agree agree- agreement agreement agreement ment on the terms of ot a contract for fora fora fora a treaty after all Is only a con con- contract contract tract Treaty negotiations however rare are not unlike swapping of ot horses In the old days It Is a matter ot of glue give and take and each fellow tellow looks out for himself It seldom takes as much time to accomplish an understanding re- re respecting respecting re respecting treaty terms as has elapsed since the deep p waterway proposal first was advanced more than fifty years ago Commercial Interests sa saw w the need of ot It long before our government go could be Interested In Inthe Inthe Inthe the project The same was true among the Canadians except that they did not regard development ot of the waterway as Important until re- re recent re- re recent re recent cent years because their commerce began expanding later than ours Yet through all of ot those years two peoples were slowly but surely moving to the point where their governments could agree as ns to what was necessary In a treaty under which the channel could coul be con con- constructed constructed There had to be a treaty of ot course because the rights ot of each nation were Involved and each nation had to give ghe up some ot of those rights when the contract was made Active movements by our govern govern- government ment meat looking to the treaty and the waterway project to be built under Its terms were Instituted almost ten years ago At that time how how- however however ever some of ot the statesmen at nt the head of ot the Dominion government were not friendly to the Idea There was opposition as ns well among cere certain certain tain Interests In this country For example many of the railroads servo sere serving ing lag the northern halt half of ot the UnIted States and drawing traffic from the regions around and west of ot the Great Lakes are opposed to the waterway for the very obvious rea rea- reason reason reason son that they fear It will take away some of ot their traffic trade And so It goes Opposition and support for forthe forthe the plan may be found everywhere in areas affected by It From tills this It Is easily deduced that a n considerable le amount of ot pre preliminary work had to be done to acquaint the peoples of ot the tile merit ot of the project It has now been 1 because the ruling political group In Canada believe It Is practicable I and valuable and the administration lion tion of ot our government has bas fostered the Idea Iden throughout But the treaty Is not yet opera opera- operative operative operative tive It has another stage to pass here and another at Ottawa While Its acceptance by the Dominion gov government ov Is little more than a for tor formality mality ratification of ot the agree agree- agreement I moot ment by the senate of ot the United States Is another matter Tho The Con Con- Constitution provides for negotiation ot of the treaty by the President nt by and with the advice and consent ot of the s senate senate nate So It has bas to take J a hurdle of ot some consequence before it becomes a binding agreement and one that Is fully tully operative When the President transmits the St Lawrence waterway treaty to the senate for Its consideration he will send with It a letter from frolD the secretary of state explaining the benefits hoped to be derived nut But I the senate will not be tie content with i that It will turn the treaty over overto overto overto to Its committee on foreign rela rein relations I and that group will hold hear hear- hearIngs hearings hearings ings to which It will Invite spokes spokes- spokesmen spokesmen men for tor the various groups Inter Interested ested In Its ratification or rejection In addition It will Invite the secretary sec secretary of ot state and the American minIster to Ottawa and experts who participated In the actual writing ot of the document to come before it and tell what the treaty does These men probably tell will testify In ht private however for It must be remembered that all International negotiations are carried on largely In secrecy If It a majority of ot the committee fa fa- favor vor fa-vor vor ratification they will vote to It to the senate with that recommendation and eventually acv ac- action ac action tion lion Is had there leaving lea then only the act of ot notifying the other gov gov- government government government to be performed In outlining the course of ot the waterway wa waterway trent treaty I have attempted to toI I picture the usual processes They are much the same In all treaties excepting those ending war With that kind of a n treaty It Is unnecessary sary to d deal al for the tile victor dictates the terms and the loser sIgns 1937 m Western Newspaper Union |
