§ 43. Mr. GILBERTasked the Secretary of State for War whether the opinion of the Armies in France was asked regarding the principle on which the scheme adopted by the Imperial War Graves Commission is based, namely, that there shall be equal treatment of the graves of all those who have given their lives to the common cause?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLYes, Sir. Sir Frederick Kenyon, upon whose recommendation the scheme adopted by the Imperial War Graves Commission is based, before presenting his Report made exhaustive inquiries among the Armies in the field, including the representatives of the Home and Dominion Forces, the relatives of the fallen, chaplains of the forces, and heads of religious denominations, and he found that the opinion of the very great majority of those whom he consulted was in favour of the principle of equality of treatment for all war graves.
§ 44. Mr. GILBERTasked the Secretary of State for War whether relatives of those who have fallen are allowed liberty of choice in regard to the inscriptions which are placed on the gravestones in the cemeteries on the Western front; whether it can be arranged that drawings or photographs showing how the war cemeteries will look when completed according to the designs of the Graves Commission can be supplied to all Members of this House so that they can show them to relatives that approach them; and can he have such designs also sent to all local town halls in the country for local exhibition?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have already answered the first part of this question in the reply I gave to Question No. 23 by the hon. and gallant Member for Hull Central. With regard to the second and third parts, I am asking the Imperial War Graves Commission to arrange for photographs of drawings illustrative of the Commission's scheme to be placed in the Tea Room of the House. A pamphlet, entitled "The Graves of the Fallen," describing the work of the Commission and containing illustrations showing what the appearance of the cemeteries will be when the work of construction is completed, has been published and can be purchased, price 6d., from His Majesty's Stationery Office, or from any bookstall. I will ask the Com- 1816 mission to consider whether the necessary expenditure should be authorised for supplying a copy of this pamphlet to all hon. Members, and also for sending copies to-all local town halls in the country. It is a very remarkable pamphlet, and the illustrations in it will deserve attention, and they will, I believe, tend to clarify opinion on this subject.
§ Mr. HOGGEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman why he requires to ask any permission. Is not every Member of the House entitled to any Government publication?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe Imperial War Graves Commission is a body with a separate organisation.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI could undoubtedly lay the document as a Parliamentary Paper. I do not anticipate there will be any difficulty.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODAre they going to destroy the gravestones erected by comrades of the men who have fallen?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI think that my hon. and gallant Friend had better study the pamphlet, and he will then be in a better position to open inquiries on this subject.
60. Lieut.-Colonel SPENDER CLAYasked the Secretary of State for War whether a definite scheme has been prepared by the Imperial War Graves Commission; and, if so, can the drawings of the proposed arrangement be put up for inspection in the Tea Room of the House of Commons?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI understand that drawings illustrative of the Imperial War Graves Commission's scheme have been made by an artist of repute and I will ask the Commission to arrange for photographs of these drawings to be placed in the Tea Room of the House for inspection by hon. Members.