§ 11. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1190 whether His Majesty's Government have decided that in their view the evacuation of the Rhineland should be dependent upon. Germany agreeing to a change in or a settlement of reparations?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI would refer the right hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave on Monday last to the question asked by the hon. Member for Penistone (Mr. Rennie Smith) with regard to the interpretation of Article 431 of the Treaty of Versailles.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWhatever be the legal interpretation of Article 431, is it final that we agree with the French view so long as this Government endures, to keep these two questions of reparations and evacuation linked, and deny the German case that the questions are not 'inked?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI think it would be more convenient if the right hon. and gallant Member would be good enough to put his question on the Paper, and give me time to consider it.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODAre we not entitled to have this definitely? The answer which was given on Monday was riot definite. What I ask is this: Whether the answer which the right hon. Gentleman gave on Monday as to the legality of Article 431, binds this country to support the French claim as against the German an claim?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI have asked the right hon. and gallant Member to be good enough to give me notice of a question of such importance. It is obvious that any answers which I give to questions of this kind are read far beyond the limits of this House. I am entitled to have notice of such a question.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY rose—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe right hon. Gentleman has answered.
§ 12. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he received any communication from the French Government before they made the statement that, from the point of view of the Allies, only the bringing into force of a practical plan for progressive steps for the liquidating of German reparations could warrant the suppression of the military control of the Rhineland?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI am not aware that the French Government have made a statement such as is suggested by the right hon. and gallant Member.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWill the right hon. Gentleman read the "Times" of Monday morning?
§ 13. Mr. THURTLEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if, in connection with the question of the continued occupation of the Rhineland, he has given consideration to the public statement signed by the late President Wilson, Monsieur Clemenceau, and the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Carnarvon Boroughs (Mr. Lloyd George), which was issued in June, 1919, in elucidation of Clause 431 of the Peace Treaty, and which declared that, if Germany at an earlier date (than the 15-year period) had given proofs of her good will and satisfactory guarantees of her intention to fulfil all her obligations, the allied and associated Powers concerned would be ready to come to agreement between themselves for the earlier termination of the occupation?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir. The declaration in question stated that if Germany by some date earlier than the 10th January, 1935, had given proof of her good will and satisfactory guarantees to assure the fulfilment of her obligations, the Allied and Associated Powers concerned (namely, this country, France and the United States of America), would be ready to come to an agreement between themselves for an earlier termination of the period of occupation.
The spirit of the declaration of the 16th June, 1919, is at present animating the ex-Allied Powers, as is shown by the resolution adopted at Geneva on the 16th September last by the representatives of this country, of France, Belgium, Italy, Japan and Germany
approving the opening of official negotiations in regard to the early evacuation of the Rhineland.
§ Mr. THURTLEMay I take it that it is not necessary for Germany fully and completely to have executed all the Reparations Clauses in order that the evacuation of the Rhineland may be considered?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI would refer the hon. Member to the considered reply 1192 that I gave the other day, which, on the one hand, stated the law, and, on the other hand, stated the policy.
§ Mr. THURTLEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is as between the reply which he gave on Monday and the answer which he has given to-day, a clear contradiction?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINNo, Sir. I am quite confident that there is no such contradiction. If the hon. Member will study the two answers together, I am sure that he will arrive at the same conclusion.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYWhen the right hon. Gentleman drew up the considered reply of Monday, was the Pact of Locarno before his mind? Was that taken into consideration in giving that reply?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINAs far as it had any bearing on the matter, certainly it was. I do not think it had any direct bearing on the interpretation of the Treaty of Versailles.
§ Mr. RENNIE SMITHMay I ask whether in the reply which he gave on Monday with regard to the interpretation of the law the right hon. Gentleman took into consideration the agreement which was signed by a previous Foreign Secretary in 1919? Does the right hon. Gentleman's reply as to the law include that statement?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINOh, certainly. What I was answering on Monday was a question of the hon. Member in regard to the interpretation of the Treaty which is binding upon both the ex-allied Governments and upon Germany. What I am questioned about to-day is an agreement come to between three, and only three, of the ex-allied Governments, to which Germany was not a party, and to which the other ex-allied Governments were not parties. This document has no bearing on the statement I made on Monday.
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINCertainly not. It is a declaration of intention by the three ex-allied Governments named, an undertaking to each other as between these three Governments. It is not an undertaking with the German Govern- 1193 ment and other ex-allied Governments, although all these Governments are acting in the spirit of that declaration at this moment.