§ 51. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that firms and individuals who are owed money by Germans resident in Dantzig, which was a German town before the War, have been informed by the Foreign Office that they cannot claim settlement of their debt by means of the Public Trustee because, owing to the Treaty of Versailles, Dantzig is no longer part of the new German Republic; and whether steps will at once be taken to remedy this injustice to persons who are owed money by Germans 1253 resident in areas which have ceased to be German by the Treaty of Versailles?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWIt is a fact that debts due by persons domiciled within the territory of the free city of Dantzig on January 10th, 1920, to nationals of the Allied and Associated Powers do not come within the provisions of the Clearing Office scheme set up under Article 296 of the Treaty of Versailles. I regret that I can hold out no hopes of any modification of the Treaty in this respect.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the goods in a great many cases have actually been delivered in Germany and are now actually being used in the German Republic; and does he see any reason why persons who are owed money by Germans who, by the force of the Treaty of Versailles are now living in a free city, should not have the same rights as though the latter were still living in Germany?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWNo doubt there will be cases of hardship, and I do not see how the matter can be dealt with otherwise.