Evening star., 1932-07-31
CANADIANS RESIST
ST.LAWRENCE PACT
Proposed Ratification of Wa
terWayS Treaty Meets
Wide Opposition.
BY CARROLL BINDER.
ecia! Dispatch to The Star.

/ sDecia! Dispatch to The Star.
/ OTTAWA, July 30.-Those Americans
| opposed to American ratification of ;he
/ St. Lawrence deep waterway treaty on
the ground that all the benefits would
accrue to Canada may be surprised to
/ hear that an influential section Of this
dominion will fight Canadian ratifca-
ton on the ground that the treaty is
contrary to Canadian interests and ben
eficial to the United States.
Arriving in Canada the day the
treaty was signed in Washington. this
correspondent has been studying the
/ Canadian reaction to the pact for 10
days. Outside of official and political
/ circles close to Premier Richard B. Ben
nett, who almost singlehandedly has
/ fought for the treaty in this domin-
ion. 1 find little enthusiasm for the
| agreement and a very great deal of de-
termined Canadian opposition.
Important Canadian business men tell
me they believe that Bennett has in
| CURED severe political liabilities in
championing the treaty, while informed
students of Canadian politics say Ben
nett would gladly have abandoned the
treaty months ago had he not given his
pledge to try to see it through.
Maritime Provinces Hostile.
While the most violent opposition to
the treaty emanates from the Province
OF Quebec, the maritime provinces are
also very hostile. In view of their po-
litical and commercial strength, these
sections of Canada will give the treaty
as vigorous opposition as its American
critics.
Friends Of Bennett say that the Que
bee opposition is inspired by private
power interests Of that province, who
resent the influx Of additional electric
power - 100000 horsepower - which
construction Of the waterway would
provide Canada.
Premier L. A. Taschereau Of Quebec
said: The canalization Of the st.
Lawrence is a national crime" An i'm
portant Montreal paper editorially
threatens legal opposition to the water
ways project. Quebec has special and
well defined rights on the st. Law
renee" it declares. "It owns the river
bed within its territorial limits and the
only rights Of the federal government
therein are those relative to navigation.
As It would be impossible to canalize the
river without touching its bed, the en-
terprise must necessarily encroach on
tutional conflict resulting from this
would present grave difficulties"
Canadian Arguments.
Canadian arguments against the
project may be summarized as follows:
| /. It will force burdensome taxation
upon an allegedly overtaxed people for
q development alleged to be absolutely
not needed by Canada
2. Waterways competition with Ca
madam railways, already in grave diff
81. .o00, 900 weekly to meet their deficit.
would further increase the burden Of
the Canadian taxpayer.
3. Additional hydroelectric compcti-
ton would ruin or at least injure g.e2t-
ly the market for hydroelectric power
already available in Quebec.
The United States covets our elec-
tricity," says LIE Soleil of Montreal.
I'VE will give 1t to them and Americans
with our horsepower will build great in
dustries which otherwise would be
us capital, employment and population.
Stupidity reigns and by it We are gov
erned."
City councils and newspapers in the
maritime provinces fight the treaty on
the ground that inland waterways mean
ruin to their shipping. and that they
will be taxed for public works which
benefit only others. They demand
compensation" If the project is pat
into effect.
Western Press Favorable.
The Ontario and Western press on
the whole is favorable to the water
ways, but its enthusiasm is tempered.
This part of Canada for years has been
in the habit of attributing all phenom-
ena Of nature, including variations in
the lake levels arising from fluctuations
In rainfall, to Chicago's use Of Lake
Michigan water in sewage disposal. An
intelligent elderly lady from owen
Sound, on remote part of Georgian
Bay. assured me that a 6-foot ring of
mud there was due to Chicago's wicked
ness in using lake water, and similar
allegations are heard from other sec
tions of Canada.
Investigations here compel the con-
clusion that the treaty represents the
best possible terms which the United
States can hope to obtain from Canada.
and that failure to ratify now means
shelving Of the project for many years
to come. II Chicago and Duluth wish
to become ocean seapOrts, they will have
to pay the price exacted in the treaty.
II the Middle West and Northwest are
unwilling to pay the price there will
be satisfaction in many parts of Can
ada and very little grief.
(COpyriRht. 1S31l