§ 6. Mr. PETOasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state how many British subjects are in the hands of the Bolsheviks imprisoned in Petrograd, Moscow, and other parts of Russia, and particularly whether he has information that John Richard Holdcroft, a British subject of Moscow, was arrested by the Bolsheviks in August last and was incarcerated in the Lubianka prison and subsequently in the Bontyrka in Moscow; whether he was still so imprisoned on the 1st October when Mr. Lockhart's party left Moscow, and that his two daughters of twenty-two and twenty-three years of age are left without means or protection; and what steps the Foreign Office proposes to take to protect British subjects from incarceration or murder at the hands of the so-callel Bolshevik Government?
§ Lord R. CECILI regret that I am unable to state the precise number of British subjects remaining in the parts of Russia controlled by the Bolshevik authorities, and that I have not been able to obtain any further information about Mr. Holdcroft other than that which my hon. Friend has been good enough to give me. The number of British subjects remaining in Moscow and Petrograd is considerable, but the number of those actually in prison is believed to be small.
Negotiations are being carried on through the Netherlands Minister in Petrograd for the repatriation of all British subjects who wish to return, and for what it is worth M. Litvinoff, who was recently exchanged for the British officials in Moscow and Petrograd, and who should reach Moscow within the next two or three days, stated that he would do all in his power to induce his Government to enter into an agreement for the repatriation of the British subjects still remaining there.
In the meantime every effort is being made to ameliorate their position, and a 1580 consignment of food is being sent out from this country through the Netherlands Minister in Petrograd, to save them from starvation. His Majesty's Government fully appreciate the anxiety which must be felt by the friends and relatives here of those remaining in Russia, and no effort will be spared either to secure their repatriation at the earliest possible moment, or to mitigate their sufferings until such time as their release can be effected.
We have already publicly informed the Bolshevik leaders that should any further acts of violence be committed against a British subject, His Majesty's Government will hold the members of the Soviet Government individually responsible, and will make every endeavour to secure that they shall be treated as outlaws by the Governments of all civilised nations and that no place of refuge shall be left to them.
§ Mr. PETOCan the Noble Lord tell us why it was that M. Litvinoff and his associates, who had no diplomatic status in this country, were released until all British citizens in the hands of the Bolshevik Government had been released from incarceration?
§ Lord R. CECILI fully recognise the legitimacy of that question. We were anxious to obtain the release of all British subjects as soon as possible, and we were advised that it was very important to get out the British officials at the earliest possible moment, because if they had suffered any violence it would make the position of the remaining British subjects even worse than it was before. We had an opportunity of obtaining the release of a considerable number of British officials of various kinds and others connected with them, and we got out as many as we could in exchange for M. Litvinoff and his associates who were sent back. We were advised that that was on the whole the wisest course to pursue, and I am satisfied myself that it was. It would not mean any lack of sympathy with the remaining British subjects, but we believe on the whole it was the safest course even for them.
§ Mr. PETOWill the Noble Lord tell us this a little more precisely? Supposing the representations of M. Litvinoff are not made or receive no attention at the hands of his Government, what other steps does he propose to take to vindicate the rights of British citizenship; and can he 1581 say whether already negotiations are in process with the Allied Governments for making any protests we make really, actually, practically, and immediately effective?
Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKERThe hon. Member should give notice of these questions, which require a considered reply.
§ Mr. KINGDoes the Noble Lord agree that M. Litvinoff had no diplomatic status when he was in constant touch with Mr. Leeper, and was allowed to receive telegrams in cipher? Does the Noble Lord, in spite of this fact, say he had no diplomatic status?
§ Lord R. CECILI think there is no doubt that he had no diplomatic status any more than Mr. Lockhart in Russia had any diplomatic status.