§ 6. Mr. MORELasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if His Majesty's Government will ask for a Report from His Majesty's Ambassador in Paris, who is the British representative on the Conference of Ambassadors, as to the output and destination of the war material produced by the Austrian State armament factories and by private armament firms established in Austrian territory during the past 12 months; if His Majesty's Government will ask the British Minister at Prague for a similar Report as to the output and destination of the war material produced by the Skoda armament works in Czechslovakia; and if these Reports can be laid upon the Table of this House?
§ Mr. PONSONBYArticles 132 and 134 of the Treaty of St. Germain govern the output and destination of all war material in Austria, which is solely for the use of the Austrian army. The Organ of Liquidation has not been able to obtain definite proof of the illegal manufacture of war material, and I doubt if any useful purpose would be served by calling for a further report on this subject, which could only be furnished by the Organ of Liquidation. As regards the second part of the question, such inquiry would imply interference in the internal affairs of a foreign and friendly State.
§ Mr. MORELAre we to understand from the hon. Gentleman's reply that there 1218 has been a breach of the Treaty of St. Germain in the matter of the export of war material from Austria; and, if there has been that breach, is it properly attributable to the Austrian Government or to the international body which supervises every branch of industry in the country?
§ Mr. PONSONBYI cannot commit myself to saying there has been any breach. In any case, it is a matter for the Austrian Government to decide.