UNITED STATES AND CANADA 185 



I can quite understand that many people in 

 Canada may think that the plenipotentiaries have 

 gone too far — that they have gone out of their way 

 in making this offer ; but our feeling was that there 

 were difficulties attending the immediate ratification 

 of this international document, both in this country 

 and in Canada, and that in the meantime fishing 

 operations were about to begin, and we were bound 

 to do all in our power to tide over the interval and 

 avoid the irritation which would otherwise be caused 

 by the persistent refusal of these privileges. But, 

 as I have said, if the offer is misunderstood or 

 undervalued by those for whose benefit it was in- 

 tended, nothing will be easier than to secure its 

 absolute and its unconditional withdrawal. (Ap- 

 plause.) 



ANXIOUS TO BE UNDERSTOOD 



Now, gentlemen, I hope I have not wearied you 

 (cries of " No, no ") by dealing in some detail with 

 the separate provisions of this Treaty ; but I have 

 been anxious before I left your shores to do anything 

 which lay in my power to remove some of the mis- 

 apprehensions which seem to me to prevail in 

 respect of it. We, the plenipotentiaries on both 

 sides, animated by an intense feeling of anxiety as 

 to future possibilities, if an agreement were not 

 arrived at, animated also by a strong desire to draw 

 closer the ties between the two great nations of 

 Britain and America, have prepared and submitted 

 this agreement. The responsibility now rests upon 



