bout de papier, Vol. 15, No. 4 (1998-1999) — Winter 1998/99 // Hiver 1998/99, pp. 34–35
Nearly a decade after the “war to end all wars” statesmen gathered in Paris to sign the General Treaty for the Renunciation of War, more commonly known as the Kellogg-Briand Pact in honour of its principal sponsors, American Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand. At a simple but impressive ceremony in the Salle d Horloge of the Quai d’Orsay, foreign ministers or other plenipotentiaries committed 15 countries to renounce “war as an instrument of national policy” so that “the peaceful and friendly relations now existing between their peoples may be perpetuated.” By 1936, only five countries had not adhered to the treaty (Argentina, Bolivia, El Salvador, Uruguay and Yemen). Five years later, all save one (the Irish Free State) of the original signatories, but none of the non-signatories, were at war or had been conquered. Understandably, the Kellogg- Briand Pact has entered the lexicon not as a symbol of triumph for humanity but as a synonym for diplomatic futility and empty pledges. When it was signed, however, there was hope that its pious sentiments would inhibit the formation of alliances and possibly make it easier for the international community to isolate an aggressor
Among the plenipotentiaries in Paris was the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs, William Lyon Mackenzie King, who signed “for the Dominion of Canada immediately below the British delegate and within the space reserved for the various representatives of “His Majesty the King of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions Beyond the Seas, Emperor of India.” Canadian speakers at the League of Nations had tended to remind their European colleagues that Canada was relatively safe from international conflict and to invoke Canadian-American relations as an example for others less favoured by circumstance and geography. Not surprisingly then, King regarded the treaty as the application to the rest of the world of principles that had already been adopted in North America. For King, the commitment was another manifestation of Canada’s autonomy in international affairs. His itinerary in Europe included two other such symbols — Canada participating as an elected non-permanent member of the Council of the League of Nations and the formal opening of the Canadian Legation in Paris. Perhaps with those advances in status overshadowing the noble purpose of the gathering at the Quai d’Orsay, the entry in King’s remarkable diary for that momentous day is itself rather unremarkable.
The King Diary is part of the W.L.M. King Papers at the National Archives of Canada. The extract below was taken from the typescript version. With the exception of the query about what Kellogg said (and King recorded in his notoriously bad handwriting), parenthetical remarks have been added
Monday, August 27, 1928 Paris — Signature Peace Treaty
Spent this forenoon in my rooms at the [Hôtel] Crillon. Was much perplexed not being able to get [O.D.] Skelton [Under- Secretary of State for External Affairs], [Harry] Baldwin [Secretary to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs] or [Victor] Lemire [a secretary] bout de papier Vol.
[J.S.] Nicol [confidential messenger] for awhile, when I had the worry of last night’s interview [an acrimonious discussion with Lord Cushendun, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Acting Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, about the opening of the Canadian Legation in Paris as a breach of the diplomatic unity of the British Empire] on my mind. Finally I got hold of all four, answered some letters & telegrams and drafted a letter to Lord Cushendun which I gave to him in the clock room of the Foreign Office this afternoon. It seemed to me wisest not to press the point raised last night, but to have our difficulty registered, and write a letter which would hold matters over for the present & get Mr. [Phillippe] Roy’s letters of credence [as Canada’s Minister to France] at once. Both [Senator Raoul] Dandurand & Roy & finally Skelton agreed to this.
I had a short talk with Dandurand & Roy & also had a photograph taken in my rooms. Lunched in the apartment and at 2.30 left for the Foreign Office across the Seine, just opposite this hotel. It was a beautiful bright day, the city looking its best in the sunlight, wide open spaces of river & boulevards.
At the Foreign Office I was shewn into Mr. Briand’s room. Mr. Kellogg, Lord Cushendun, Senator [Alexander John] McLachlan [Member of the Executive Federal Council of the Commonwealth of Australia], Sir [Christoper] James Parr [High Commissioner for New Zealand in Great Britain] were already present. Later other Secretaries of State and Ministers came in. It was an interesting moment when Stressman sic: Dr. Gustav Stresemann, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany] arrived. [Raymond] Poincaré [Prime Minister of France] was talking with Briand, the latter shook his hand warmly & shewed him the seat immediately opposite both. They talked a little together. I talked with Mr. Kellogg awhile, gave Lord Cushendun the letter, he was somewhat apologetic about last night. He wanted to see me anyway. I had told him the letter wd serve the purpose of an interview.
At 3 all were assembled & we walked into the Clock room. The seating at head table was Briand in centre with Kellogg on his left, Stressman & ….. [likely Paul Hymans, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Belgium] on his right, Lord Cushendun on Kellogg’s left & I sat at corner with Lord Cushendun. Mr. Briand read his speech which was next translated, then each signed the treaty in turn at a small table. Kellogg’s hand shook terribly, he found it hard to write. On way back to his seat he said to me in passing putting his hand on my shoulder “That is a terrible pain [pen?].” When I went to sign, I was surprised first to see my own seal in the wax opposite the space for my name. Then when I wrote as I came to ’Mackenzie’ — dear Mother’s spirit seemed to come between me & the paper, to almost illumine it. I thought only of her as I wrote, then in signing King I felt much the same about father but not so strongly. As Briand read — ’the flags of all Nations’ over the f[o]r[ei]gn office today, I thought of what Mrs. [L.J Bleaney [a fortune-teller in Kingston whom King had consulted during the election campaign in 1925] told me she saw two years ago ’the flags of all nations, that I w[oul]d be taking part in etc. — It came to me strongly on the moment. Then tonight the verses in the little book — what God had begun in one he will fulfil – then to endure to end & inviolable peace. It is all too wonderful. God’s universe with God in it all.
After the signing we returned to M. Briand’s office — I had a short talk with Mr. Stressman who was very pleasant. He spoke of having been in Berlin Ont. — of the paper Tageblatt there, Berlin being changed to Kitchener, but now back again. He seems to be genuinely appreciated by the French Ministers. It is the first time in 65 (?) years a German minister has been received in Paris.
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Originally published in bout de papier, Vol. 15, No. 4 (1998-1999) — Winter 1998/99 // Hiver 1998/99, pp. 34–35. Read the rest of this issue →
