§ Mr. LANSBURYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the Government has considered, or will consider, the advisability of sending a special Ambassador to Berlin for the purpose of discussing with the German Minister for Foreign Affairs any outstanding questions and differences that may still exist between the two Governments; and also to discover if the German Government would be willing to consider the advisability of negotiating a treaty of arbitration between Great Britain and Germany?
§ Sir E. GREYThere is no necessity for sending a special Ambassador to Berlin to discuss questions that can be discussed without difficulty under existing conditions both in Berlin and in London. There is already an Arbitration Treaty in force between Great Britain and Germany.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs the Arbitration Treaty a similar one to one already under negotiation with the United States?
§ Sir E. GREYThe Arbitration Treaty with Germany is one of the usual type—of a more limited character than that which is now under discussion in the United States. On a previous occasion I promised, I think, that the House should have an opportunity of discussing the more extended Arbitration Treaty with the United States when it was completed. If I did not give that promise, it was certainly my intention that the House should have the opportunity of seeing that treaty in its final form, and expressing its opinion upon it, before we embarked on negotiations of a similar kind with other countries.
§ Baron de FORESTWill the right hon. Gentleman give the House the information necessary to understand the questions that are at present in discussion between England and Germany?
§ Sir E. GREYThat seems to me a question of such enormous scope that I do not very well see how an answer can be given.