Evening star., 1926-11-14

~ Canadian Minister TO tne
AN United States. arrives here
| " early in January, he is ex-
| pected to focus national at
| tention on American-Canadian rela-
| tions by taking up at least five major
| diplomatic questions which remain
unsettled between the two countries.
Mr.. Massey will probably become
the busiest diplomat in Washington.
His first duty will be to select and
establish O. Canadian legation. which.
it is planned. will be entirely distinct
and Independent from the British EN-,
| baSsy. The present Canadian stair
of the British embassy is expected to
be transferred to the new legation.
and also Mr.. Massey will bring with
l him q corps of secretaries, so that
every question between the United
I States and Canada will be handled by
Canadians and from the Canadian
point of view.
OF the major diplomatic disputes
which it is indicated Mr.. Massey VIII
take up for his government the. most
important Is a change of the Rush
Bagot agreement of 1917, which limits
| naval armament on the Great Lakes
and which for 100 years has been the
basis Of our unfortified Canadian
boundary. Canada has indicated that
she desires some changes In this
agreement. During the war the
United States maintained armed yes
sells on the Great Lakes, In violation
of the agreement, for the purpose or
| training naval reserves, and Premier
| Mackenzie King has stated that he
| wishes to arrive at a definite under
| standing regarding such cases IN the
| future AT the same time American
shipbuilding companies along the
| Great Lakes are bringing pressure TO
bear on the United States to change
the agreement in order that they may
be allowed to compete in the building
| Of naval vessels. Canada also desires
| that the agreement, which can now
be terminated by either party on SIX
months notice, be revised for a longer
, period Of time. The reViSionS Sug'
gested by Canada have not met with
the entire approval Of the Department
| OF State, and 1t Is now expected that
one of the first duties Of the new Ca
madam Minister will be to smooth out
the differences of opinion on this sub
ject.
Other Issues Pending.
The other diplomatic issues which
Mr.. Massey is expected to take up
with the Department Of State soon
after his arrival are: A revision OF
the fisheries agreement of 1885, which
has never been ratified by the Senate;
a revision of the four-power conven'
ton relating to fur seals in the Be-
Iring Sea, which Japan has asked to
have changed; the settlement Of the
Frazer River salmon dispute between
British Columbia and the State OF
Washington, and finally the Chicago
drainage Canal and the st. Lawrence
| waterways.
Besides these major issues there
are a host of minor problems affect
ing the two countries, such as the
erosion o. Niagara, the water levels
in Rainy Lake, the behavior of the
great army of immigration guards and
prohibition inspectors along the bor.
der, the export Of paper pulp and ex.
tradition matters. 1t Is recognized In
the Department Of State that no other
nation, not even Mexico, presents so
many diplomatic questions for Solu-
ton.
At present this mass Of American
Canadian correspondence Is handled
for the United States through Ottawa
by the American Consul General John
G. Foster. Mr.. Foster in everything
but name, is the American Minister
to Canada. He has been there for
% years. He knows every detail of
every waterways dispute and of every
fisheries tangle. Because the Depart
ment of State found it impossible to
secure a substitute who could fill his
shoes two special acts Of the President
have kept him in office two years be-
yond the time of retirement. On June
80 next it will be necessary for the
President to issue another executive
order or for Mr.. Foster to retire.
| Mr.. Coolidge has recently indicated
that an American Minister to Canada
is unnecessary. Although relations
with Canada are more multitudinous
and more important than with any
other nation, Washington felt in the
past that most of these questions
| were handled in routine form by per
manent boards of arbitration, and
that there was no pressing need fOl
a Minister. The International Bound
airy Commission, for instance, has al
ready ironed out all of the boundary
disputes, and it's only duty at present
is to keep the boundary monuments in
repair and to clear away the under
brush within 10 feet on each side OF
the line.
Problem of Irrigation.
The International Joint Commits
sion, similarly, decides all problems
arising from the irrigation or dam.
ming of American-Canadian rivers