§ 32. Mr. OUTHWAITEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in order that an opinion may be formed as to the relative care exercised by the British and French staffs in the preservation of soldiers' lives, he will state what proportion of the total casualties on the Western front since the 1st of July last have been suffered by the British forces?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe French do not publish any information as to their casualties, so that no comparison is possible.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEAre we to understand that the War Office is so regardless of a million casualties in a year that they have not ascertained how they compare with French casualties in the same period?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONMy hon. Friend must not assume that the War Office is so casual in regard to this matter.
§ 34. Mr. OUTHWAITEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, during the past year, the lives of French airmen have been sacrificed on the Western front in the same extent as have the lives of British airmen; and, if not, can he give any explanation?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have no information whether the casualties among British airmen have been greater than in the French Air Service. If it is the fact, it would be accounted for by the greater intensity of the fighting in the air on the British front.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITECan the hon. Gentleman say whether any French Government or Commander-in-Chief would be permitted to sanction such losses as have taken place in our Army? It is asking them to commit suicide. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh, Oh!"] Of course, you do not care how many are killed!
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf the hon. Member takes the opportunity of making offensive insinuations, I shall have to call upon him to withdraw. I warn him that the House will not stand offensive statements of that kind.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEOn a point of Order. I wish to point out to you, Sir, that on 2291 each occasion on which I have asked questions relating to our casualities at the front, I have been shouted down in this House more or less by hon. Members. I wish to ask you why you do not protect me against them?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI will never raise a finger to protect the hon. Member so long as he makes the insinuations that he does.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEThose insinuations were called forth by the action which has been repeated again and again by hon. Members when I have asked questions relating to casualties at the front.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not bear out in the least my recollection. My recollection is that the hon. Member has been very considerately treated, and, if it were not that on every possible occasion he takes the opportunity of making these vile insinuations against honourable men who are serving their country to the best of their ability, the House would never think of shouting him down.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEI made no insinuations against honourable men serving their country. I am trying to do something to save the lives of honourable men who are being slaughtered.
§ Mr. SPEAKERcalled on Mr. Rowlands.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEMay I point out that I have another question?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI do not propose to call the hon. Member.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEWill you inform me what right you possess to prevent me putting a question which I have on the Paper?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has shown that he does not know how to behave himself properly when he does ask a question. Therefore I do not propose on this occasion to call him.
§ Commander WEDGWOODI am sorry to have to interfere, but I think the hon. Member opposite has a point of view which it is only right the House should hear. I entirely disassociate myself from his suggestions, but at the same time we must realise that people outside wonder whether—
§ Mr. SPEAKERIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman rising to a point of Order or making a speech?
§ Commander WEDGWOODRising to a point of Order.
§ Mr. SPEAKERWhat is the point of Order?
§ Commander WEDGWOODIt is that I think you ought to protect even isolated Members of Parliament who put forward unpopular views.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has no business to put forward what the hon. and gallant Gentleman calls unpopular views as interjections in reply to the answers which are given to his question. He is entitled to put questions or he is entitled to make a speech. If he made a speech, making direct charges in this House, I should not stop him; but what I object to is that in an undertone, which is just contrived to reach the Gallery above, and so get into the papers, he makes charges of this kind when he has no business to interfere at all.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEI did not make a retort, as you state, in reply to the answer; I made a retort in reply to interjections coming from here.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI do not know what part of the House the hon. Member was addressing, but I think he probably had in his mind the Reporters' Gallery.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEThat is untrue.
§ Mr. HOGGEFor my own satisfaction I want to know, with regard to not calling Question 35, do I understand that when any question is put on the Paper and you do not care to call it, that that is within your power?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf an hon. Member cannot behave himself, I do not propose to call his question on that day, which will give him time for reflection.
§ Mr. HOGGEI quite understand what he said. All I want to establish is that what you are doing now is because of the conduct of the hon. Member. It is not that upon any occasion apart from that you have the right to stop a question being asked?
§ Mr. SPEAKERCertainly not. I have never stopped a question except those put in unparliamentary form. Those I have stopped. After all, there must be a good deal of give-and-take in the House. If it is all taking and no giving, I think it does not conform to the ordinary practice of the House.