§ 55. Mr. CHARLES BUXTONasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the Note of the French Foreign Office on 8th March, according to which the German ambassador at Paris, at the time of the Paris Conference, on 2nd January, declared that he had received instructions to inform M. Poincaré in an official manner that his Government had drawn up a plan to settle the reparation question, and had obtained assurances of the help of the representatives of German industry and finance for the carrying out of the programme thus elaborated, and that the German Government asked to be allowed to submit this plan to the meeting of the Allied Ministers; and why this plan was not considered by the Paris Conference and has never been considered by His Majesty's Government?
§ PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Bonar Law)I am not clear to what Note of the French Foreign Office the hon. Member is referring, but the British Government have published full particulars of the Paris Conference, and., as regards this statement of the German Ambassador at Paris and the action of the Conference thereon, I would refer the hon. Member to Command Paper 1812, page 68.
§ Mr. BUXTONWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of formally inviting the German Government to explain this offer which was not explained, together with such conditions as may he laid down for the offer being re-made?
§ The PRIME MINISTERFor the reasons I have already given, I do not think there would be any advantage in taking such a step at present.
§ Captain W. BENNWas the offer that. Herr Bergmann brought to Paris ever laid before the British representatives in Paris?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, never.