§ 21. Mr. De Chairasked the Home Secretary whether any prosecutions have so far taken place, under the Foreign Enlistment Act, against Englishmen endeavouring to enlist for service in the Spanish civil war; and whether all those serving illegally in that country will be prosecuted on their return?
§ Mr. LloydSo far as I am aware, the answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I am unable to answer the second part. The decision whether there is evidence to justify charging an individual with an offence does not rest with my right hon. Friend.
§ Mr. De ChairIs it not desirable that some action should be taken under this Act, because otherwise it will become a dead letter?
§ 34. Mr. Parkerasked the Home Secretary whether facilities are given to supporters of the Spanish Government to come to this country and present their case; and, if not, why there is no interference with the propagandist activities of the Marquess Merry del Val and other opponents of the Spanish Government?
§ Mr. LloydIn accordance with the decision of His Majesty's Government to refrain from intervention in the Spanish struggle immigration officers have been instructed to keep a watch on the arrival of foreign visitors whose purpose in coming here is to further the interests of and engage in propaganda on behalf of either side, and if satisfied that such is the purpose of their visit to refuse facilities. The question what would constitute grounds for expelling from this country Spanish nationals who have 561 been resident here for a number of years would have to be considered by reference to the facts of the individual case, but my right hon. Friend would not regard the policy of non-intervention as extending to prohibiting any resident from expressing his sympathy with either side.
§ Mr. ManderDo I understand the hon. Gentleman to say that it is in order for the Marquess Merry del Val or other Spaniards living here to carry on active propaganda for either side?
§ Mr. LloydIf the policy of non-intervention were regarded as extending to prohibiting residents from expressing sympathy with either side, a great number of speeches and articles in favour of both sides would have to be banned.
§ Lieut.-Colonel MooreIs there any necessity in the hon. Gentleman's opinion for allowing any such Spanish propagandists into this country, seeing that there are already many propagandists in the House?
§ Mr. H. G. WilliamsDoes my hon. Friend's reply mean that the hon. Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Mander) will still be free to urge us to go to war?
§ Mr. Attlee(by Private Notice) asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the urgency of the matter, he can state if the Non-Intervention Committee has considered and come to any agreement regarding the action to be taken in respect to volunteers taking part in the Spanish rebellion?
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Viscount Cranborne)The right hon. Gentleman will have seen the terms of the communiqué published at the end of yesterday's meeting of the Chairman's Sub-committee of the Non-Intervention Committee. From this it was clear that the Governments concerned are anxious to extend the agreement to cover the recruitment in, the departure from, or the transit through, the countries concerned of foreign nationals proposing to proceed to Spanish territory for the purpose of taking service in the present war. The right hon. Gentleman will, however, be aware that, in some cases, this acceptance has been made dependent on the putting into force of an effective system of supervision. Certain difficulties 562 have, however, arisen on this latter point. It has, therefore, been decided that, in these circumstances, a special sub-committee, consisting of the representatives of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, should meet to make suggestions which, while ensuring that the scheme would be fully effective for the purposes contemplated by the Committee, would take such steps as were possible to make it generally acceptable. This Committee will meet to-morrow morning. I should like to make it clear that His Majesty's Government fully share the anxiety which is felt in all parts of the House that a fully effective system of prohibition and supervision should be established with the least possible delay. I can assure the right hon. Gentleman that they have done, and will continue to do, their utmost to this end.
§ Mr. AttleeIs it not clear that while these long-drawn-out discussions are taking place, the Italians are pouring men into the South of Spain, and, in effect, taking steps which are a breach of the Agreement made by Signor Mussolini that there would be no attempt to overturn the status quo in the Mediterranean?
§ Viscount CranborneNo, Sir, I do not think that is clear. What is clear is that while there is this delay, which we all regret, there are numbers of people going in on both sides, and that is all the more reason for expediting the proceedings of the Non-Intervention Committee. The conclusion which the right hon. Gentleman draws is not justified.
§ Mr. AttleeDoes the Noble Lord really think that the men sent in such great numbers from Italy can be considered as volunteers? Does he imagine for a moment that they go without the leave and active instigation of the Italian Government?
§ Viscount CranborneI do not know that, but it is to be presumed that all volunteers go with the leave of their Governments who are not prevented by their Governments from going.
§ Mr. ManderIs it not perfectly clear that the proceedings of the Non-Intervention Committee have been and continue to be a complete farce?
§ Viscount CranborneNo, Sir. It is true that the deliberations have been very prolonged, but the subject is a very complicated one.
§ Sir Percy HarrisCan the Noble Lord show us anything effective that this committee has done during the many months of its deliberations?
§ Viscount CranborneIt prevented the war from spreading outside Spain.