§ 1. Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if all the Allied Military Missions in the Baltic States have now been placed under the supreme direction of a French officer; why General Marsh has been recalled.; and whether any change of policy in that part of Europe is in contemplation?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Churchill)I have been asked to reply. The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The object of the Inter-Allied Mission in the Baltic, of which General Niessel is Chief, is to enforce the evacuation of German troops from Latvia and Lithuania. General Marsh has been recalled and his services dispensed with, as the British Representative on the Inter-Allied Commission is able to perform the duties of Chief of the British Military Mission in the Baltic in addition to his duties with General Niessel. The answer to the third part of the question is in the negative.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYIs this French officer the senior Allied representative in the Baltic?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes.
§ 5. Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state the progress made in the negotiations for an armistice, or for peace, between the Governments of the Baltic Provinces and the Soviet Government of Russia.; whether the Polish, Ukranian. and Finnish Governments, or de facto Governments, are taking any part in the negotiations; and whether the 206 Governments of the Baltic Provinces are still left complete freedom of action by the Allies in these negotiations?
Mr. HARMSWORTHAccording to the latest information which has been received from the Baltic, no decision has yet been reached in the negotiations now proceeding at Dorpat. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative, and to the third part in the affirmative.
§ 36. Mr. SWANasked whether the British military mission in South Russia, or any part of it, is or has been engaged in military operations against the Soviet Russian forces?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLA few individual officers in the Royal Air Force and Tank Corps have voluntarily taken part in the fighting against the Bolsheviks. Otherwise the duties of the Mission are confined to advise and supervision in the distribution and use of British materials.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLCertainly.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes.
§ Mr. SHORTWill the right hon. Gentleman give instructions for these men not to be so employed in the future in view of the statement made by the Prime Minister?
§ Brigadier-General CROFTBefore the right hon. Gentleman answers that question will he see, in view of the fact that the remainder of the Allies have left detachments there, that we do not alter in any way the very small number we have there?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI will not restrict in any way the praiseworthy and gallant. activities of those officers.
§ Captain W. BENNAre these officers employing our tanks in warfare?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI said that a certain number of these officers who have trained the Russian personnel of the tanks we sent to South Russia, and they have gone into action with those tanks. They have carried their instruction to that extent.
§ Mr. SHORTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this conduct is a violation 207 of the statement made, by the Prime MinisterMdash;that we as a country were not intervening in Russian affairs?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt is no violation. On the contrary, the Prime Minister has repeatedly affirmed our intention to continue these Missions for a certain period to afford such assistance to the forces of General Denikin as it is in their power to give, and which our resources enable us to give, and there is not the slightest intention to limit them in any way.