§ 60. Mr. PONSONBYasked the Prime Minister whether he can inform this House of the reasons for which the preliminary disarmament conference has been postponed?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Mr. Godfrey Locker-Lampson)Definite notice of postponement has not yet been received, but it is probably only a matter of days, in view of the request put forward by a number of Governments' members of the Council of the League. In reply to 316 inquiry from the Secretary General, His Majesty's Government have intimated that in view of the general desire for postponement, they do not propose to raise objection. As regards the reason for postponement I cannot speak with authority, but I believe it to be the wish that Germany should take part in these important discussions as a member of the League, and the hope that by a short delay the present obstacles to the participation of Russia may be removed.