MISUNDERSTOOD?

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18569, 19 December 1925, Page 17

MISUNDERSTOOD?

CANADIAN WH(T TALKED TO U.S. "CUT THE PAINTER." REVERSED VERSION OF SPEECH. (BT CABLE—PBSSS ASSOCIATION'—COPTEIGHT.) (Received December 18th. 8.35 p.m.) NEW YORK. December 17. A mild sensation was caused by statements attributed to Mr Frederic Hudd, Canadian Trade Commissioner to the United States, in a speech before the Pan-American Commercial Congress, in which Mr Hudd allegedly pledged Canada's allegiance to Pan-Americanism in the broadest sense awl urged the countries of the Western Hemisphere, to stand together as "United States of the American Continent." This was interpreted here and in Canada as the "cut the painter"' policy.

Mr Hudd. subsequently issued a statement declaring that his remarks had been entirely misinterpreted and driven a political significance, whereas he was only speaking as a commercial reoresentative before an unofficial body. He said: "I was merely authorised to attend the Congress as Canada's representative. I had no authority what>soever to pledge the Canadian Government to anything, particularly a major matter of international policy, which is obviously beyond the province of a civil servant. The Pan-American Commercial Congress is not an official body, although all Latin American countries are represented. It has no connexion with the Pan-American Un,ion, althoueh the two bodies are in sympathy." M Hadd states that he intended to sav: "Canada is the elder daughter in the great commonwealth of nations, hut her immediate destiny lies on the North American Continent.. Canada, believes in the co-operation of all the countries on this Continent and earnestly seeks their goodwill, and to work with them in the interests ot mutual prosperity and the permanent 'oeace of the world. These considerations are further strengthened by the conviction that there is no problem too difficult for the countries of Latin America and North America to solve, and no catastrophe is too ominous for the countries of the Western Hemisphere to avert, provided they stand together."