51. Dr. MURRAYasked the Lord Privy Seal what were the terms of the telegrams referred to in the message from the War Office, dated 29th July, 1919, to the general officer commanding at Kern, but not printed in the Blue Book on military operations in North Russia?
§ 53. Major ENTWISTLEasked the Lord Privy Seal when the communications and dispatches which passed between the War Office, the General Officer Commanding at Archangel, and the General Officer Commanding at Kern in June, 1919, and which are not published in the Blue Book on military operations in North Russia, will be published?
§ 59. Mr. BRIANTasked the Lord Privy Seal why certain communications and dispatches which passed between the War Office, the General Officer Commanding at Archangel, and the General Officer Commanding at Kern in June, 1919, have been omitted from the Blue Book on military operations in North Russia?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Churchill)I have been asked to reply to these questions. As I stated in the introductory memorandum, the Blue Book was prepared to afford a complete statement of the reasons underlying the various phases of the military operations connected with the British evacuation of North Russia, This I think it does. It is not proposed to publish the mass of subsidiary and routine telegrams, the inclusion of which would only obscure the main issues.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs it not a fact that General Rawlinson, within a week of his arrival, sent a telegram to advance on Petrograd, and, if so, why is that telegram not included?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI do not know of such telegram. On the contrary, I do know that General Rawlinson, from the moment he landed, set himself solely to evacuate the force at the shortest possible date, and that he rigorously 196 repressed inclinations amongst his own officers and men who were unwilling to quit contact with an enemy whom they cordially despised.
52. Dr. MURRAYasked the Lord Privy Seal whether any one of the documents relating to military operations in North Russia, which have been omitted from the Blue Book, in any way imply that the advance to Kottas and the attempted linking up with Koltchak were, in the intention of the Government or of any person or persons taking part in these operations, anything other than a necessary part of the policy of evacuation?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have been asked to reply. The answer is in the negative.
§ 55. Mr. NEWBOULDasked the Lord Privy Seal whether the Government concurs in the opinion of Sir Henry Wilson, as stated in the recently published Blue Book on the military operations in North Russia, that the critical situation which existed in 1919 was due to the want of a clear-cut policy on the part of the Allied Governments?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. If the hon. Member will refer to my speech during the Debate on the Army Vote on Account, on 5th November last, he will see that Sir Henry Wilson's opinion is in general agreement with the views which I expressed on that occasion with regard to the Russian situation. Perhaps I might be permitted to read the. following passages from my speech: