§ 62. Captain BERKELEYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that a responsible member of the Russian Government has again repeated the accusation of espionage against Mrs. Harding, the British journalist; that this repetition has been given wide publicity in the British and American Press, to the serious detriment of Mrs. Harding's reputation; and whether, seeing that His Majesty's Government have obtained a promise of compensation for false imprisonment in respect of this unfounded charge, he can make a statement on this matter?
§ Mr. McNEILLI have seen the statement referred to, but I can only repeat that it is impossible to prevent the Soviet Government from repeating slanders which they know to be false; I cannot believe that such unfounded allegations are a detriment to Mrs. Harding's reputation, which has been completely vindicated by His Majesty's Government, and by the redress agreed to be given by the Soviet Government; I have no means of securing greater publicity than has already been given to the case, but I feel sure that the Press, both in this country and in the United States, may be trusted to do justice to a lady who has been proved innocent of the charges falsely made against her.