§ 76. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether anything can be done to urge the Hungarian Government to postpone the trials of the people's commissaries of the late commune for a few months until public feeling in Hungary is quieter, so that a just trial may be secured?
Mr HARMSWORTHAlthough His Majesty's Government have no responsibility for, or power to interfere in, the internal government of Hungary, they have from time to time made friendly and unofficial representations through His Majesty's High Commissioner at Budapest to the Hungarian Government in favour of moderation in regard to any further trials of former commissaries.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWill the hon. Gentleman reply to that part of my question where I ask whether the Government would press for a postponement of these trials for a few months, as I have had representations from these people in Hungary begging to have their trials postponed until conditions are better in Hungary?
Mr. HARMSWORTHHis Majesty's Government have, through their High Commissioner, made many representations, but there are limits to interference in the internal affairs of another country.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODSeeing that some of these people have safe conducts from British generals, does not that give us some right to interfere in the matter?
Mr. HARMSWORTHThe Government are quite prepared within certain limits to make friendly representations, but they cannot go beyond that.
§ 77. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether a group of Hungarian reactionaries calling themselves Rising Hungarians has initiated an appeal to the peasants and country workers all over the world to organise the stoppage of supplies to industrial centres as an answer to the international boycott of Hungary; and whether these activities of the Rising Hungarians have the approval of His Majesty's representative in Hungary?
Mr. HARMSWORTHI am aware that a political party known as the Rising Hungarians, of an anti-Semitic character, has issued certain proclamations, but I do not know that it has initiated any appeal to peasants all over the world. It is not perhaps unnatural that there should be a tendency on the part of the Hungarians to speak of instituting a boycott of such countries as have, at the orders of a conference of transport workers, proclaimed a boycott of Hungary. His Majesty's High Commissioners at Budapest and Vienna are using their good offices to allay the general irritation and confusion resulting from these unfortunate measures and threats as far as is in their power, and His Majesty's Government can only hope that their efforts will meet with success.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs there any sign of an end to this boycott, of which we strongly disapprove?