§ 11. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Home Secretary if he will give a reconsideration to the case of Ferdinand Louis Kehrhahn, who is interned in Brixton Prison, where he has spent two years and nine months; whether, in any case, something can be done to mitigate the hardship of his treatment under which he is compelled to spend seventeen hours of the twenty-four in his cell; and will he have special inquiries made into the effect this imprisonment is-having upon the prisoner's health?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir George Cave)I am informed that, although two years and nine months have elapsed since Kehrhahn was first interned, he has been in Brixton Prison since April, 1917, only. He is allowed to be out of his cell in association with other interned persons for eight hours a day, and a special medical report which I have just obtained shows that his health has not been impaired, either mentally or physically, by his internment. I must adhere to my previous decision in this case.
§ 17. Colonel YATEasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the resolution passed by the Stepney Borough Council urging the authorities to take steps forthwith for the internment, repatriation, or employment on national duties of all enemy aliens over eighteen; and whether steps will be taken to carry out this resolution?
§ Sir G. CAVEYes, Sir. I hope to have an early opportunity of making a statement on this subject.
§ Mr. KINGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Stepney Borough Council at the same time passed a resolution in favour of all aliens, whether neutral, friendly, or enemy, being made to join the Army or being deported, and will he consider these two inconsistent resolutions together?
§ Sir G. CAVEThe whole subject will no doubt be brought up.
§ Mr. KINGWill the right hon. Gentleman get from the Stepney Borough Council all the resolutions that it passed on one occasion upon this subject?
§ Sir G. CAVEI will leave it to the council to send me what resolutions it pleases.
62. Sir HENRY DALZIELasked the number of enemy aliens in this country who are at present uninterned?
§ Sir G. CAVEMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. Excluding those temporarily released from the camps on licence for employment on agricultural or other work of national importance, the number of male alien enemies who remain uninterned is approximately as follows: Germans, 6,000; Austrians, 5,500; Turks or Bulgarians, 1,100; total, about 12,600. Of these, over 4,000 are of friendly race, and only technically 1826 of enemy nationality—e.g., Czechs, Poles, and Alsatians—and over 3,000 are old men or invalids. Of the 6,000 Germans, over 3,500 are married to British wives, over 4,000 have British-born children, and 2,400 have sons serving in His Majesty's forces.
Sir H. DALZIELCan the right hon. Gentleman give us any indication of the number who are engaged on work of national importance—are they under supervision?
§ Sir G. CAVEAny alien enemy who is uninterned is required to perform work of national importance. A certain number have already been engaged on such work.
§ Sir G. CAVENo.
§ Mr. G. LAMBERTHow many of these alien enemies are women?
§ Sir G. CAVEI should think very nearly the same number as the men; but I have not the exact figures now.
§ Mr. R. McNEILLHave the Government in treating Alsatians as belonging to a friendly race taken into account the possible plantation of Alsace by Germans in recent years, and the fact that Alsatian spies are the most fruitful agents of the German Army in France?
§ Sir G. CAVEThat fact has not been forgotten. The only uninterned Alsatians are those who have been certified by the French authorities as being friendly to the Allies.
§ General McCALMONTIs it a fact that the Home Office have no control over alien enemies in Ireland; and do the figures given include Ireland?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice of that question.
§ General McCALMONTMay I ask whether the figures include Ireland?
§ Sir G. CAVEAliens in Ireland have been under the control of the Chief Secretary for Ireland.