§ 34. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any of the documents reproduced in Part 2 of Command 2874 were seized in the raid on the Russian Legation premises in Peking and on the Russian buildings in the Legation quarter in Peking?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINNo, Sir.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYMay I ask, then, how the documents that passed between Moscow and Peking were obtained—on territory not under the jurisdiction of His Majesty's Government?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI cannot prevent the hon. and gallant Member from asking, but I must, respectfully, decline to reply.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYAre we to understand, then, that that part of the Trade Agreement, which referred to mutual abstention from propaganda and interference in neutral territories, has been broken by His Majesty's Government?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINNo, Sir, the hon. and gallant Member is not entitled to understand that, which is absolutely contrary to the facts.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIf that be the case, how is it possible for communications passing between Russia and another country to come into the hands of the right hon. Gentleman without such interference?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThat is a question which I have respectfully declined to answer, and I again decline, on grounds of public interest.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODI want to ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether if we put down a question on the Paper, the Foreign Secretary, mighty as he thinks he is, is not bound to reply?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe right hon. Gentleman has explained why it is not possible for him to answer.
§ Mr. THURTLEIs it not a fact that these documents to which reference is made were obtained by espionage on the part of the British Government?