§ 7. Mr. LEES-SMITHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any understanding was reached at Geneva that the appointment of M. Rault as president of the Saar Commission should terminate at the end of this year of office?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe appointment was for a year only. It will be for the Council, which meets in March, 1926, to decide what is then to be done.
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHIn view of the very strong feeling that has been aroused by this appointment, if there is any condition laid down in connection with it could not that be stated to the House?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI do not accept the hon. Member's premise. This appointment is in the terms of the Treaty to be made for one year, and a new appointment is to be made a year hence by the Council of that day. Because I happened to be a member of the last Council I am not entitled to say what the next Council will do.
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHDoes the right hon. Gentleman recollect that only five weeks ago he took the opposite attitude and gave an opinion as to what should be done on this matter without consulting the Council?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINNo, I then said what my attitude would be at the Council meeting which I was going to attend, which is quite a different thing.