§ 43. Mr. KEIR HARDIEasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Count Gleichen, who is at present in command of the 15th Infantry Brigade at Belfast, is a naturalised British subject, and, if so, when and under what conditions he became such; and whether his father, the late Prince Victor of HohenloheLangenburg, was a British subject, and, if so, whether he was such by birth or by naturalisation?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)Gaunt Gleichen was born in the United Kingdom, and is therefore a natural-born 370 British subject. His father was granted a certificate of naturalisation in the year 1848.
§ 14. Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been directed to a speech delivered at a Lord Mayor's banquet, given in the City Hall, Belfast., on the 7th instant, by General Count Gleichen, K.C.V.O., commanding the 15th Infantry Brigade, in which he said that a good many people were of opinion that this campaign of Lord Roberts' was being run with a view to what they called a reprehensible militarism, and that he contradicted them flatly; that there were gentlemen who, like Mr. Keir Hardie, Mr. Andrew Carnegie, and various peace presidents, said that because they had a big army they introduced militarism, and he concluded that people of that sort, however well-meaning they might be, could only be suffering from softening of the brain; whether such language contravenes the King's Regulations; whether it is in accordance with the rules of the permanent Military and Civil Services that a paid official should indulge in political invective of a partisan nature; and what action is contemplated in the matter?
§ Colonel SEELYThe report for which I have called has not yet reached the War Office.
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLWhen does the right hon. Gentleman desire me to put the question down again? I am not going to: let it drop.
§ Colonel SEELYI cannot say exactly when I shall receive the report; no doubt it, will be in the course of a few days.
§ Mr. KINGCan the right hon. Gentleman explain this delay, considering that the speech was delivered on the 7th and we are now at the 18th of the month?
§ Colonel SEELYYes; I did not call for a report until my attention was drawn to the matter by questions in this. House.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe right hon. Gentleman has said that he has not got the information.