§ 58. Mr. DALTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether treaties have recently been concluded between France and Czechslovakia, France and Switzerland, Switzerland and Italy, Poland and Czechslovakia, providing for the peaceful settlement of all questions that may arise between the 597 contracting powers, and thus excluding all possibility of war between them; and whether any treaties of this kind have been concluded by Great Britain with any other country?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS(Mr.Ronald McNeill)I am informed that treaties of arbitration and compulsory conciliation between France and Czechslovakia, France and Switzerland, Switzerland and Italy, and Poland and Czechslovakia have been signed. That between Switzerland and Italy is the only one which has come into force. Whether a treaty containing provisions for the reference of all disputes to tribunals of arbitration or conciliation exclude all possibility of war between the parties is a, matter of opinion and not of fact and hardly suitable for treatment by question and answer. His Majesty's Government are parties to some twelve treaties of arbitration in varying terms; the texts of these treaties have been published in the Treaty Series and laid before Parliament. Most of the treaties have been concluded for definite periods such as five years and are renewed with or without modifications when these periods expire. None of these treaties are as far-reaching as that between Italy and Switzerland.
§ Mr. DALTONDo His Majesty's Government intend to conclude any treaty of such a far-reaching character as those indicated in the question?
§ Mr. MCNEILLI must have notice of that question.