§ 54. Mr. TAYLORasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been drawn to the references, made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer at Battersea, on 11th December, to the heads of a friendly foreign State; and whether the opinions expressed by the Chancellor represent the considered views of the Cabinet?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. His Majesty's Government endorse the principle involved in the Chancellor of the, Exchequer's statement, having regard to the well-known activities of the Third International, but it is our hope that the Soviet Government will eventually dissociate itself from that body, and thus render possible a continuous improvement in the relations between the two countries.
§ Mr. TAYLORIs it not the fact that the Chancellor of the Exchequer referred to the Government, and not to the Third International?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, I do not think it is; I read the statement very carefully.
§ Mr. TAYLORDoes not the Prime Minister agree that the average member of the public would take it to refer to the Russian Government?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have not so low an opinion of their intelligence.
§ Mr. TAYLORIs the right hon. Gentleman able to discriminate between the Third International and the Russian Government?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is exactly our trouble at the present time.
§ Mr. TAYLORIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to take steps to deal with the softies and fatheads—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. THURTLEDoes not the Prime Minister think that offensive references of this sort tend to weaken the potency of the Locarno spirit?