HC Deb 30 May 1911 vol 26 cc879-80
Mr. HUNT

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet received the full text of the Arbitration Treaty with America; and, if so, whether this contains the original offer of Mr. Taft to refer all questions, whether of honour or territory or anything else, to unrestricted arbitration between the two countries?

Sir E. GREY

The full text of the draft has just been received; I have not yet seen it, and I intend to pay it the compliment of giving it full consideration before I make any detailed comments upon it.

Mr. HUNT

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his attention has been called to the fact that some time ago an official summary of the draft treaty was issued in Washington, and that it stated arbitration in these disputes must be ratified by the Senate or they would not be arbitrated upon at all, and can the right hon. Gentleman call this unrestricted arbitration, as stated in the offer of President Taft?

Sir E. GREY

It seems to me all that is very proper matter for discussion when there is any treaty to be laid before the House and there is an opportunity for discussing the matter as a whole.

Mr. HUNT

May I ask if great expectations were not brought about—that there would be no more war, and so on—by this offer of President Taft, and may we hope that in the future the Government will not allow themselves to be bamboozled by foreign States?

Sir E. GREY

The hon. Member apparently assumes that great expectations have been raised which will not be fulfilled. I have no means of knowing exactly what the hon. Member's own expectations were, but obviously the time to decide whether those expectations are disappointed or not is when a treaty has been agreed to between the two Governments and not at the present stage.

Mr. LEE

Could the right hon. Gentleman say, in view of the general interest in this question, when he expects to be able to lay the draft treaty upon the Table of the House?

Sir E. GREY

The draft, as I understand, is a tentative draft which will form the subject of discussion between the two Governments, of course, in the ordinary way. After having considered the draft, His Majesty's Government will make their own suggestions to the United States Government, who are the authors of the draft. Discussion will then proceed between the two Governments, and, after reaching a conclusion, then I think will be the natural time to make our opinions public.