Sir,

I have the honour to refer to the visit recently paid to Canada by the Rt. Hon. Ernest Bevin. Accompanied by Mrs. Bevin, Sir Roger Makins, Assistant Under­Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. R.E. Barclay, Private Secretary, he arrived in Ottawa on Sunday, October 2, and remained until Wednesday, October 5, when he departed for Montreal where he spent one day prior to returning to New York.

2. On Monday morning Mr. Bevin paid a courtesy visit to the Prime Minister and later attended a meeting of the Cabinet. The discussions were of a general nature as Mr. Bevin Dealt with some of the broader aspects of the problems facing the United Kingdom Government without raising specific issues or making any appeal for Canadian support in any particular connection.

3. That evening the Prime Minister and Mme. St. Laurent, on behalf of the Gov­ernment of Canada, gave a dinner in honour of Mr. and Mrs. Bevin. In his after dinner speech the Prime Minister referred in felicitous terms to the many achieve­ments of Mr. Bevin's career. The latter replied in a typically forceful and humorous manner. He dwelt at some length on his appointment as Minister of Labour in the Churchill Government and of the difficulties encountered by the United Kingdom during and after the war.

4. Mr. Bevin spoke with considerable confidence concerning the future and based his optimism upon the accomplishments of post‑war years. While he recognized the importance of the contribution of the United States and of Canada to the economic rehabilitation of the United Kingdom and of continental Europe, he felt that there was not a full awareness of what the United Kingdom had done in restoring its own domestic position and in stabilizing the whole sterling area, particularly by meeting the immediate and urgent requirements of India.

5. The keynote of his speech was that the United Kingdom is not an old worn‑out mother country but is a young and vigorous nation. It has been reorganized on a foundation of new social values and is today strong, healthy, inventive and ready tcontinue contributing its full share to the betterment of living standards throughout the world.

6. On Tuesday morning Mr. Bevin gave a press conference. I attach a summary of the views he expressed there†

7. At noon he was guest of honour at a luncheon given by the Canadian Club. I attach excerpts from his speech as reported in the Canadian Weekly Bulletin, Volume 4, No. 49, October 14.†

8. That evening, at six o'clock, Sir Alexander Clutterbuck gave a large reception at Earnscliffe for Mr. and Mrs. Bevin.

9. The following morning Mr. Bevin left by car for Montreal where he addressed a luncheon in his honour, which was given by the Canadian Club of that city. I attach the full text of his speech.†

10. The entire visit was, I believe, most successful, both from the standpoint of Mr. Bevin and of the Canadian Government and people. Mr. Bevin's friendly, informal and cheerful attitude created a most favourable reaction. The knowledge that he had not come to request, either in private conversations with the Govern­ment or from a public forum, any particular assistance from Canada but merely wished to pay a friendly visit and explain some of what he described as temporary difficulties of the United Kingdom, evoked a warm response from all quarters.

I have, etc.
H.F. FEAVER
for Secretary of State for External Affairs