§ 8. Mr. KINGasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, during September, he wrote to the representative in London of the Esthonian Provisional Government protesting against any attempt to enforce compulsory enrolment on Esthonians without their consent as usurpation and tyranny; whether he has information that the German Government has proposed, or attempted to impose, military conscription on Esthonians; and whether the principle of obtaining a nation's consent before exacting compulsory 255 service of its people is one to which the British Government gives its general adherence?
§ Lord R. CECILThe statements to which the hon. Member no doubt refers were that "His Majesty's Government repudiates emphatically the claim of the German Government to exercise any kind of sovereignty in or right to dispose of Esthonia. No peace will be satisfactory to this country which does not embody that principle. In the meanwhile any attempt by Germany to enforce compulsory enrolment or other oppressive laws on the Esthonians without their consent can only be regarded as usurpation and tyranny," and, in spite of the hon. Member, the Government adheres to that declaration.
§ Mr. KINGIs the Noble Lord aware that he has not given any answer to the second part of this question: whether the German Government has proposed or has attempted Conscription?
§ Lord R. CECILI am sorry if that part of the question was overlooked. We were informed by the Esthonian representatives that some such attempt had been made by the Germans.