§ 5. Major HUNTasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House an assurance that no attempt will be made under the guise of arbitration, or in any other way, to set up anything in the nature of an International Prize Court, or in any other way to revive any part of the now condemned Declaration of London?
§ Lord R. CECILThere is not now and never has been any intention on the part of the present Government to set up any International Prize Court nor was an International Prize Court provided for in the Declaration of London. An undertaking in the terms of the last part of the question would preclude the Government from applying a large number of well-established rules of International Law and the request for it can hardly have been adequately considered.
§ Major HUNTAre we to understand that we can have no promise from the Government that they will not continue any part of the now condemned Declaration of London?
§ Lord R. CECILI really do not think my hon. Friend has read the Declaration of London. The Declaration of London consists to a very large extent of a restatement of the ordinary principles of International Law which have been acted on for decades all over the world. It would be impossible for me to give any undertaking that those principles would not be enforced—of course they will be enforced.
§ Major HUNTIf the Declaration of London has nothing much in it, why has it been condemned?
§ Lord R. CECILI explained to the hon. Member and to the House a little time ago why we thought it desirable to withdraw the adoption of the Declaration of London. There were several reasons which I do not propose to repeat at the present moment unless the hon. Member desires me to do so. If he will be kind enough to read what I then said and the recent White Paper on the subject which gave the conclusions between the French Government and ourselves, I think he will find the whole of his question answered.
§ Mr. R. McNEILLMay I ask if the Noble Lord intends the House to understand that the Declaration of London contained nothing contrary to established international law, and if it did contain anything, will he not promise to give an undertaking that those parts will not be revived?
§ Lord R. CECILI certainly did not intend to say that the Declaration of London contained nothing which was not a departure from the established principles of international law. I should like to confer with my hon. Friend whether he really desires that I should give the undertaking, even in the limited sense of the question, which he has asked me to give.
§ Mr. HOLTWould not the undertaking the Noble Lord has been asked to give be in contradiction of existing treaties with America?
§ Lord R. CECILI should like notice of that question.