The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-12
CANADIAN PREMIER
STRONGLY OPPOSES
SECRET TREATIES
Canada Does Her Work in
the Open, Says the
Premier
PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW
American-Ca Comradeship the
Real Thing Think the Same
Thoughts
PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW

new DIX Herald publishes the
following special from Paris:
Sir Robert Borden, Premier of Can
ada, and one of the great leaders of
the Peace Conference, is fatty op-
posed to secret treaties and just as
strongly in favor of complete cooper
alton on the part of the United
States and Canada in working out
the problems and policies of the Pac-
ifc.
Canada has no secret treaties" he
said when | mentioned those poison
ed thorns that have pricked the patti
ence of the peace makers. | assured
hln that Americans appreciate that
fact. Canada does her worlc y. the
open. Probably that is one reason
why Sir Robert is so powerful in
Paris.
"Is it not time that the rule and
practice of nations be brought into
line with modern Interpretation o-d
application of the old Ar~lo-Saxon
rule of law as to the sanctity of. COW
enants?" | asked. aa
81 am not g. lawyer but it, is nv
understanding that now the govern
ing principle in oui. courts is that
private covenants, or so-called vested
interests, must give way to the needs
of the public welfare. Is it not an
international necessity that, this mod
err practice be applied: to secret
treaties or arrangements between ma
tions?'', --'-
you are quite right" replied the
Canadian leader. 81 am strongly of
the opinion that there should be no
secret treaties. The people of each
self-governing nation are absolutely
entitled to full information respect
ing all treaties into which theiT gov
ernments have, entered q
GAS to any understanding to which
thell governments may have COM
n1itted them, apart from formal
treaties or conventions, the people are
entitled to equally full information.
It is perfectly true that negotiations
must frequently be conducted under
the seal of confidence, as otherwise
they would be ineffective; but this is
entirely consistent with the principle
that the conclusions reached through
such negotiations must be publicly
announced. Moreover, nearly all
treaties and conventions must receive
the final approval of the people,
through their representatives in Par
lament, before the nation as a whole
can be committed"
"Sir Robert" said l, @.American-
Canadian comradeship is a real thing
On all vital things we think the same
thoughts. I am sure that Americans
would appreciate an expression OF
your views as to the interests of Can
ada in the Pacific" N
"Our country, like yours said the
Premier of Canada, "fronts not only
on the Atlantic-which hitherto has
been the main theatre of world-aetiyi-
ties,-but also on the Pacific, which in
the future will become more and
more predominant centre of those
activities. We are therefore, di-
rectly and even vitally interested in
the Pacific"
'The creation of a great world
highway connecting the two oceans
has lent new Importance to our in
terest, which will become more and
more intense as the population of our
western provinces, and especially the
province of British Columbia increas-
es. Our point of view on both the
Atlantic and the Pacific is much the
same as that of the United States,
with whom we hope to action cordial
cooperation with respect to all
matters affecting the common inter-
est of the North American eontin-
ent."
The Importance of both these state
ments can only be appreciated by
those who grasp the one outstanding
fact that, stripped of ybewildering
verbiage, the Paris conference is q
contest between secret schemers seek
! ing special advantage at the expense
of the world at large and men who
have really learned the lessons of the
war and who are bent upon setting up
a really sane and just government
of the world, under law"
Every grain of gossip that | have