A viable hen's egg may be hatched in three weeks, but three months are if anything a bit brief to hatch a complicated international treaty. Nonetheless, in October liberal William Lyon Mackenzie King, campaigning before the Canadian general election, promised if he became Prime Minister to negotiate a trade treaty* with the U. S. within 90 days. Only fortnight ago Prime Minister King went to Washington to see Franklin Roosevelt and in the heat of their mutually impetuous goodwill the treaty was incubated. Last week, only seven days after Mr. King had first nested in a White House bed, only ten days after conversations had been opened between the experts of the two Administrations, the treaty, engrossed and ready for signing, lay on the President's desk.
Not that Franklin Roosevelt ever signs such trade agreements. They are signed by the Secretary of State, authorized to do so under a document called a "Full Power." The customary place of signing is the cold, funereally decorated diplomatic reception room of the State Department. There Cordell Hull has signed agreements with Cuba, Haiti, Belgium. Sweden, Brazil, Colombia.† But because Canada is a far better trade prospect than all those countries combined and because Franklin Roosevelt loves nothing better than a sudden spectacular coup such as a ten-day treaty-hatching, the scene of the signing was transferred to the President's office.
There Franklin Roosevelt, technically like King George only an interested spectator, occupied the centre of the stage. Surrounded by the full Cabinet (saving Secretary Bern who is in the Philippines), half a dozen Canadian officials and 17 functionaries of the State and other Governmental departments, the President shared his desk with the two principals. Prime Minister King and Secretary Hull. Flashlights coruscated, cameras clicked. Mr. King put on his horn-rimmed spectacles, Mr. Hull, very proud and erect, put his black-ribboned pince-nez on his nose, pens scratched internationally and a new treaty opening new canals of trade and floodgates of political oratory was born.
¶Reasons that Americans will have for being thankful on Thanksgiving Day, 1935 (according to Presidential proclamation ): 1) "More and more of our people understand and seek the greater good of the greater number." 2) "Selfish purpose of personal gain at, our neighbor's loss, less and less asserts itself." 3) "Peace at home is strengthened by a growing willingness to common counsel." 4) "Our peace with other nations continues through recognition of our own peaceful purpose."