§ 26. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Prime Minister whether any of the munitions of war surrendered by the Central Powers have been or are being supplied to Poland.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe answer is in the negative.
§ Captain LOSEBYI should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman if it is within his knowledge that some of the most deadly munitions of war, notably 1918 guns, have not been surrendered at all, but have found their way to Russia and are now being used against Poland by the Bolshevists?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Member should give notice of that question.
§ 27. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Prime Minister whether the s.s. "Poznan," of London, was discharge- 39 ing Handley-Page aeroplanes at Danzig on or about 29th July last; whether the Dutch s.s. "Triton" was discharging British rifles at Danzig on or about the same date; and whether British soldiers were used to discharge munitions at Danzig from the latter ship.
28. Captain BENNasked the Prime Minister whether the steamer "Triton," carrying munitions from Poland, has been unloaded by British troops at Danzig.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWAs has already been stated in answer to a previous question, British troops at Danzig have assisted in unloading supplies for Poland, but, as the House knows, this was not done until after the Soviet forces had passed the ethnographical frontier of Poland.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYCan the right hon. Gentleman answer my question as to whether the "Poznan" was unloading aeroplanes on the 29th July, and why did he inform me in the House last week that we were not supplying munitions of war to Poland?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThere is no evidence whatever that these are our munitions. If they are, I am not aware of it.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYBut if British ships have handled aeroplanes, surely the Government must have information of it, and could stop it if they liked? Must not the Government give export licences to export these munitions of war?
Captain BENNAre we to understand that if the Russians have already crossed this boundary that would commit us to intervention?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWWhat my hon. and gallant Friend will understand is exactly what was stated last week by the Prime Minister, that the Russian forces, without being ready to make an armistice, began to cross the frontier and we stated that our whole position was then changed.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODAre we to understand from that that we are now sending munitions to Poland, in spite of the fact that the armistice is still under discussion?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWIt was stated last week that in view of the fact that an 40 Armistice was not being concluded and that ethnographic Poland was being invaded, we should have to consider in what way we could strengthen them in the event of the Russian Government not making peace.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODHave we actually sent munitions and thereby started war?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI said the other day that we have not sent munitions from this country, but I did not say we will not send them.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWas the right hon. Gentleman misinformed when he told me last week that we had not sent munitions, when these British rifles in the "Triton" must have come from British sources somewhere?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI think I did not consider the question referred so much to that as to our unloading them. I shall make inquiries.
§ Mr. JAMESONWill the right hon. Gentleman assure hon. Members that we shall do nothing to assist smaller nations in maintaining their independence against the big nation?
29. Captain BENNasked the Prime Minister whether General Haking recently stated that British workmen might eventually be brought to Dantzig for the unloading of munitions and other work in the harbour; and, if so, on what authority he made the statement?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThere is no truth in the statement that General Haking announced that British workmen might eventually be brought to Dantzig in this connection.