38. Lieut.-Colonel MALONEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the article on Russia by Robert Minor; whether he is aware that this man is working in collaboration with Mr. Lincoln Steffens and Mr. William Bullitt; whether he is aware that two of these gentlemen are officially connected with the American Peace delegates; whether he is aware that they are carrying out active propaganda for stabilising the Bolshevik Government; and whether he will arrange for British interests to be represented on future official missions of this nature or, alternatively, will he reconsider the suggestion to appoint a commission from all parties to visit Russia and report on the internal conditions, thereby confirming or contradicting the diverse statements which are published and also enabling British enterprise to co-operate in the reconstruction of Russia?
Mr. HARMSWORTHIf the hon. and gallant Member is referring to an article which appeared in the "Daily Herald" on 29th May, the answer to the first part of his question is in the affirmative. I have no information that Mr. Minor is collaborating with Mr. Steffens and Mr. Bullitt. So far as my information goes, Mr. Steffens has never had any official connection with the United States Peace Delegation in Paris. I understand that Mr. Bullitt was formerly a member of that delegation, but that he has resigned from this position. I am not aware that Mr. Steffens and Mr. Bullitt are carrying on propaganda for stabilising the Bolshevik Government. I am also not aware that the mission was of an official nature, but the hon. and gallant Member may rest assured that British interests will always be- represented on official Allied missions when this is considered desirable. I cannot, however, reconsider the alternative suggestion which he puts forward.