§ 3. Captain WATERHOUSEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what salaries and allowances are being paid by the League of Nations to officials and members of the Disarmament Conference; and which of such officials or members are being paid additional salaries and allowances out of moneys voted by this House?
§ Mr. BALDWINNo salary is paid by the League of Nations to the Chair 1126 man of the Disarmament Conference, but he receives travelling expenses and subsistence allowance in respect of his visits to Geneva. He of course receives his salary as a Member of this House. The secretarial work of the Conference is performed by members of the permanent staff of the League as part of their normal duties. None of these receives any additional salary or allowances out of moneys voted by the House.
§ 62. Mr. MANDERasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether any of the Dominions have at any time been consulted with regard to the French proposal made at the Disarmament Conference in March, 1933, for an international aerial police force for the purpose of preventing the misuse of civil aircraft; and, if so, what view they took?
The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. J. H. Thomas)Throughout the course of the Disarmament Conference there has been constant consultation with the representatives of the Dominions on all aspects of the problems involved. So far as I am aware, no Dominion Government has made any official pronouncement on the particular proposal referred to by the hon. Member. There have, however, been public statements from time to time by Dominion representatives indicating dissent from the conception of the League of Nations as an organisation with armed forces of its own.
§ Mr. MANDERDo I understand from that that it would not be true to say that these specific proposals have in fact been rejected by the Dominions?
Mr. THOMASNo; but it would be true to refer, for instance, to the speech which General Smuts made in which he said:
If the attempt were made now to transform it into a military machine, into a system to carry on war for the purpose of preventing or ending war, I think its fate is sealed. I cannot conceive the Dominions remaining in such a League, and pledging themselves to fight the wars of the Old World. If the Dominions leave it, Great Britain is bound to follow.That is the pronouncement of one of the Dominion representatives—
§ Mr. MANDERWith reference to the specific point, and that only, to which I referred in my question, I understand it is quite clear that they have not been rejected by any of the Dominions?
Mr. THOMASI think that is true; but it is equally true that the House should know that there has been no step taken by this Government without the Dominions being consulted, and on no occasion has there been any dissent from our policy from any Dominion.
§ Mr. COCKSWould the Secretary of State say whether the speech of General Smuts was made in his private capacity or as representative of the Union of South Africa?
Mr. THOMASIt is very difficult. If I were making a speech and it suited my hon. Friend to attach it to the Government, I am quite sure that he would do so. General Smuts cannot in any of these public utterances be treated as other than a very responsible statesman of South Africa.
§ Mr. MAXTONWill the right hon. Gentleman himself try to remember that principle when he speaks?
Mr. THOMASIt was the kind of thing I was trying to do at Seaham Harbour last night, and it went down well.