§ 56. Captain O'GRADYasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to a statement made in the Press on 12th July that a large staff of French military experts, numbering 900 officers with 2,000 orderlies, were specially selected for service with the Polish Army with a view to rendering the Polish offensive against the Soviet forces more effective; and, if so, what was the attitude of the British Government with regard to this matter?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe French have always had a military mission in Poland to advise the Poles of the organisation of their Army, but we have no detailed information as to numbers. No special mission to assist the Poles against the Soviet forces has been reported to have left France. The last part of the question does not therefore arise.
§ Captain O'GRADYIf the figures are as stated in the question, does it not indicate that considerable help has been given by the Allies to the Poles in their offensive against the Soviet forces?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe information I have given, which is all we possess, is that a special mission was not sent for this purpose. The mission that was sent before was sent to help the Poles in organising their Army.
§ Captain O'GRADYWill my right hon. Friend make inquiries as to whether quite recently the numbers of the most expert military advisers of the French has been added, making the numbers such as stated in the question?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI rather hesitate to promise to question another Government, over which we have no control, as to action which they may have taken.
§ 57. Captain O'GRADYasked the Prime Minister (1) whether the Soviet Government, prior to the Polish offensive, declared their preparedness to arrive at an agreement with the Polish Government to the end that further hostilities might be averted, and that peaceful relations might be established between Poland and Russia on a basis of the national independence of Poland being recognised by the Soviet Government and according to the delimitation of the frontiers between Russia and Poland laid down by the Supreme Council in the last month of last year; and, if so, what steps, if any, have been taken by the British Government to use their good offices in this matter; (2) whether, when the Polish offensive against the Russian Soviet forces first began, due consideration was given to all its consequences by the Supreme Council; whether, in the event of the success of the counter-offensive of the Soviet forces and the invasion of Poland, as delimited by the Peace Congress of Versailles, there was any understanding that armed forces of the Allied Powers would intervene; whether, in relation to the general attitude of Poland towards Soviet Russia, the views of the Supreme Council were conveyed to the Polish Government; and, if so, did those views counsel that Government as to probable consequences of the conflict, or was a conflict discouraged?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe hon. and gallant Member is doubtless alluding in the first part of his first question to the wireless messages sent by the Soviet Government, but as the House is aware the negotiations in question were never opened. As regards the remainder of the questions, the attitude of his Majesty's Government towards the Polish offensive has been fully explained to the House on several occasions and in particular in the Debate on the 20th of May.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWhy, if that is the case, are they now interferring with the relationships between Russia and Poland?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWAgain I will ask the hon. and gallant Member to wait until he has heard my statement.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYYou might have made it before.