11. Lieut.-Colonel Sir FREDERICK HALLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, seeing that the import by Germany from Soviet Russia of poison gas bombs, which it has now been found by the German Courts has been taking place over a considerable period of time, constitutes a breach of the Treaty of Versailles, any assurance has been given by the German Government that there shall be no repetition of this?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONI am given to understand that the import into Germany, in contravention of Article 170 of the Treaty of Versailles, of arms and ammunition from Russia has now ceased and all transactions in connection with such import have been liquidated. Should any further infractions of the Treaty in this particular respect be brought to light in the future it will, of course, be possible for the question to be brought to the notice of the Council of the League of Nations under Article 213 of the Treaty of Versailles.
Sir F. HALLConsidering that the Article has been broken, does not my hon. Friend think that it is right and advisable to approach the German Government and ask for the assurances which I refer to in the last part of the question?
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONI understand that these transactions took place between subordinate departments of each of the Governments. They were not official transactions between Governments. The German Government have made it quite clear since that they disapproved of these transactions and they have stopped them.
§ Sir WILLIAM DAVISONHas the Foreign Office any information as to the wholesale manufacture of poison gas in Russia at the present time?
§ Colonel GRETTONCan the Under-Secretary say how many bombs have been imported into Germany in infringement of the Treaty?
§ Miss LAWRENCEIs this the gas referred to as Dyer Gas?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEMay I ask whether the bombs in question have been destroyed?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question should be put down.