- American ▁relations ▁and ▁force ▁Canada ▁into ▁the ▁un ten able ▁position ▁of ▁having ▁to ▁choose ▁between ▁its ▁two ▁major ▁al lies . ▁Given ▁the ▁issues ▁at ▁st ake , ▁Me igh en ▁and ▁Hugh es ▁arrived ▁in ▁London ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁Imperial ▁Conference , ▁each ▁resolved ▁to ▁have ▁his ▁own ▁way . ▁Hugh es ▁opened ▁the ▁conference ▁by ▁def i antly ▁ins isting ▁on ▁the ▁treat y ' s ▁immediate ▁renew al . ▁Over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁days , ▁the ▁Australian ▁cause ▁was ▁champion ed ▁by ▁an ▁array ▁of ▁British ▁imperial ▁talent ▁that ▁included ▁Lord ▁Cur zon , ▁the ▁Foreign ▁Secretary , ▁and ▁Arthur ▁B alf our , ▁the ▁Lord ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Council . ▁Und a unted , ▁Me igh en ▁charged ▁dram atically ▁ahead . ▁Canada , ▁he ▁declared , ▁had ▁" a ▁special ▁right ▁to ▁be ▁heard ," ▁for , ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁war ▁between ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁the ▁Empire , ▁Canada ▁"[ w ould ] ▁be ▁the ▁Belg ium ." ▁No ▁possible ▁form ▁of ▁this ▁treat y , ▁he ▁continued , ▁would ▁satisfy ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁Empire ▁had ▁no ▁choice ▁but ▁to ▁sc rap ▁the ▁off ending ▁treat y . ▁ ▁The ▁Australian ▁prime ▁minister ▁was ▁out rag ed . ▁He ▁question ed ▁Me igh en ' s ▁interpretation ▁of ▁American ▁opinion ; ▁he ▁object ed ▁to ▁having ▁imperial ▁policy ▁dict ated ▁by ▁Washington ; ▁and ▁he ▁sc orn fully ▁dismiss ed ▁American ▁naval ▁power . ▁He