§ 1. Mr. HUNTasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether cargoes of tobacco and wine are allowed to go freely into Holland and Germany; and, if so, whether he will say what steps he has taken or is going to take to prevent contraband goods from being smuggled into Germany in cases or boxes labelled as wine or tobacco?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Lord R. Cecil)It is not the fact that wine and tobacco have been allowed to go freely into Germany. But it is true that neither tobacco nor wine have hitherto been treated as contraband by the Allied Governments. Recently the French Government approached us as to the desirability of imposing further restrictions on the import of tobacco into neutral countries bordering on Germany under conditions which indicated that the ultimate destination was Germany, and the question whether any change should be made as to both tobacco and wine is now under discussion between the British, French, and Italian Governments.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTHave the Government considered whether it would be detrimental or advantageous to our interests to permit the import of tobacco and wine into Germany?
§ Lord R. CECILYes; the whole subject is under very careful consideration.