Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 56 Part 2.djvu/377

 INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [56 STAT. Agreement between the United States of America and Canadarespecting a military highway to Alaska. Effected by exchange of notes signed March 17 and 18, 1942. The American Minister to the Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Ottawa, Canada, March 17, 1942. Construction and maintenance. SIR: 1. As you are aware, on February 26th, 1942, the Permanent Joint Board on Defence approved a recommendation as a result of which the two Sections proposed to their respective Governments: "the construction of a highway along the route that follows the general line of airports, Fort St. John - Fort Nelson - Watson Lake - Whitehorse - Boundary - Big Delta, the respective termini connecting with existing roads in Canada and Alaska." This recommendation, based as it was on military considerations and military considerations only, and having the endorsement of the Service Departments of the two countries, has been approved by both Governments. 2. My Government, being convinced of the urgent necessity for the construction of this highway and appreciating the burden of war expenditure already incurred by Canada, in particular on the con- struction of the air route to Alaska, is prepared to undertake the building and wartime maintenance of the highway. Subject to the provision by Canada of the facilities set forth in paragraph three of this Note, the Government of the United States is prepared to: (a) Carry out the necessary surveys for which preliminary ar- rangements have already been made, and construct a Pioneer Road by the use of United States Engineer troops for surveys and initial construction; (b) Arrange for the highway's completion under contracts made by the United States Public Roads Administration and awarded with a view to insuring the execution of all con- tracts in the shortest possible time without regard to whether the contractors are Canadian or American; (c) Maintain the highway until the termination of the present war and for six months thereafter unless the Government of Canada prefers to assume responsibility at an earlier date for the maintenance of so much of it as lies in Canada; (d) Agree that at the conclusion of the war that part of the highway which lies in Canada shall become in all respects an integral part of the Canadian highway system, subject March 17,18,1942 [E. A. S. 26] No. 626 1458

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