HC Deb 25 July 1916 vol 84 cc1480-1
7. Mr. OUTHWAITE

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to a speech made by M. Tchenkeli, in the Russian Duma, on 3/16th June, 1916, in which he read an extract from an official circular stating that, from information received at the headquarters of the Imperial Chief of Staff, it has been established that recently cases of venereal diseases, and particularly of syphilis, have become more frequent among the troops, and that there are many indications that a Jewish organisation in Germany is spending considerable amounts of money on the maintenance of syphilitic women who are employed for the purpose of ensnaring Russian officers and infecting them with syphilis; and will he ask the Russian Government for further information on this subject and as to whether there is reason to believe that this organisation confines its operations to the Russian Armies?

Lord R. CECIL

I have not read the speech to which the hon. Member refers, but I feel that our military authorities in the various theatres of war can well be trusted to take all precautions to guard against this danger.