§ 1. Mr. LYNCHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British representative at Athens ever informed the Foreign Office of the installation of wireless telegraphy by which ex-King Constantine was kept in continual communication with the German court and the military commanders; whether any of the messages interchanged were ever read and reported to the Foreign Office; and what action, if any, the Allied representatives took in consequence?
§ The MINISTER of BLOCKADE (Lord Robert Cecil)His Majesty's Government were aware that King Constantine was in direct communication with Berlin, and certain messages had, in fact, been intercepted. These and other unconstitutional actions of King Constantine led to the blockade of Greece, the enforced transfer of his armed forces to the Morea, and ultimately to his removal from Greece.
§ Mr. LYNCHWill the Noble Lord explain why they did not bring about his removal in time to be effective?
§ Lord R. CECILI think it was in time to, be .effective.
§ Mr. PRINGLEIs it not the fact that the Allied Forces in Macedonia were held up for a month?
§ Lord R. CECILNo, Sir; I do not think that is so.
§ 2. Mr. LYNCHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the fact of the disclosures recently made in Greece that the object of the visit of Prince Nicholas to this country was to defeat the war aims of the Alliance by representing to the British Court that the efficient carrying out of the military plans would place the dynasty in danger; whether the mission of Prince Nicholas received encouragement in this country; and, if so, whether the military plans were altered in consequence?
§ Lord R. CECILThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; that to the second and third parts in the negative.
§ 13. Mr. LYNCHasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the advisability of stimulating the democratic spirit throughout all the troops fighting against the Central Empires, he will form into a pamphlet for general distribution in the Army and elsewhere the dispatches, recently published in Greece, of ex-Queen Sophia to her brother, the Kaiser?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Macpherson)I am afraid that owing to the large number of troops engaged, and the general shortage of paper, the hon. Gentleman's proposal is hardly practicable.
§ Mr. LYNCHWould it not encourage the troops, in view of the fact that this august lady described them as "infamous wine"?
§ Mr. PRINGLECould not some of the paper be used that is wasted on biographies of the Prime Minister in this country?