§ 71. Mr. RONALD McNEILLasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether passports have been 912 issued to the widow of the late Lord Mayor of Cork and to various persons at Balbriggan and Thurles, believed to be members of or in sympathy with the Sinn Fein organisation, to give evidence before a committee of inquiry instituted by the American newspaper the "Nation" into alleged Irish atrocities; whether he is aware that the purpose of such an inquiry is to produce anti-British propaganda for use in America and elsewhere; whether it is consistent with national self-respect to assist the holding of inquiries in foreign countries into the internal affairs of the United Kingdom; and if he will explain why passports were issued to the persons refered to for such a purpose?
Mr. HARMSWORTHHis Majesty's Government are not concerned with committees of inquiry instituted by American newspapers. In the issue of passports for the United States they are not influenced by the question whether applicants may or may not intend to give evidence before such committees, but His Majesty's Government are, of course, by no means indifferent to the spreading of anti-British propaganda in the United States.
§ Mr. DEVLINIs not the best way to stop all forms of propaganda abroad to appoint a judicial, impartial inquiry into all these matters in Ireland?