§ 7. Mr. PONSONBYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the declaration signed by the late President Wilson, M. Clemenceau and the then Prime Minister of this country, on 16th June, 1919, that, if before the lapse of 15 years Germany had given proofs of her good will and satisfactory guarantees to assure the fulfilment of her obligations, the Allied and Associated Powers concerned would be ready to come to an agreement between themselves for the earlier termination of the period of occupation in the Rhineland; and whether, seeing that the Conference of Ambassadors has stated to the League of Nations Council that Germany has fulfilled her obligations with regard to disarmament, His Majesty's Government will now propose to the Allied Powers the curtailment of the period of occupation in the Rhineland?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThe declaration in question was laid before Parliament at the time, and I am aware of its contents. But the hon. Member inadvertently misquotes the declaration by the Ambassadors' Conference of 6th March. The Conference did not declare that Germany had fulfilled her 1187 obligations with regard to disarmament. Their statement was different. In order to prevent any objection to the acceptance of Germany as a member of the League arising out of the condition laid down in paragraph 2 of Article 1 of the Covenant which governs the entry of any new member into the League, the Conference of Ambassadors stated that as far as they were concerned and to the best of their knowledge Germany was then giving effective guarantees of her sincere intention to discharge her treaty obligations. There is a substantial difference between this declaration and the satisfactory guarantees to assure the fulfilment of her obligations named in the declaration of 16th June, 1919.
There are other matters of importance in regard to the character of such an announcement as that of June, 1919, upon which I should have to speak in any full statement on this subject, but the hon. Member must permit me to say that I cannot conceive a worst moment for raising so wide a discussion or one at which any statement by me is less likely to serve the objects which he has in view and of which His Majesty's Government have never lost sight.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYAre we to understand that it would be possible for a State to be a full member of the League of Nations and yet have part of her territory occupied by the armies of other members of the League?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThere is no connection between that question and the one on the Paper, and none between the question and my answer.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODMay I ask the Foreign Secretary whether the statement made in 1919 will be carried out as soon as the conditions mentioned in that statement are to the satisfaction of His Majesty's Government: and may I ask if His Majesty's Government adhere to the declaration made in 1919?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThe declaration of 1919 is a declaration of the then intentions of the three Governments, and it is not a declaration to which the German Government have a right to appeal. I have already stated that I do not wish to be pressed further, and in my opinion there could be no more 1188 inopportune moment for a discussion on this question, or one less likely to serve the interests which the hon. and gallant Gentleman has in view.