HC Deb 30 July 1919 vol 118 cc2086-7
61. Mr. SWAN

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that Mr. Philip Kerr handed to Mr. Bullit, an official of the American Peace delegation in Paris, a Memorandum in Mr. Kerr's own handwriting containing proposals for an agreement with Mr. Lenin, head of the Soviet Government of Russia; whether Mr. Kerr took this action with the Prime Minister's approval; and what action he proposes to take?

75. Lieut.-Colonel Lord HENRY CAVENDISH-BENTINCK

asked the-Prime Minister whether an offer of peace was conveyed to the Bolshevist Government and accepted on the following terms: Recognition of the Governments now existing in Russia, the raising of the blockade, full and complete amnesty for political opponents, the recognition of Russia's financial obligations, and the reduction of the Soviet and anti-Soviet Armies; and whether the Government will once more open negotiations on these lines and endeavour to ascertain whether the Soviet Government is prepared to abstain from military aggression and political propaganda outside Russia and grant an amnesty to political opponents and impartial justice to all classes?

Mr. BONAR LAW (Leader of the House)

The statement on which the ques- tion is based is absolutely without any foundation in fact. As I stated in this House some months ago, the Prime Minister knew nothing about the supposed mission of Mr. Bullit until after this gentleman had returned. The suggestion, therefore, that any statement had been handed to him by Mr. Philip Kerr, who has been acting as one of the secretaries of the Prime Minister, was obviously absurd, but in order that there should be no possibility of any misunderstanding, we have communicated with Mr. Kerr, who replies that the statement is quite untrue.