§ 8. Mr. BUXTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give reasons showing why the British delegation, at the ninth assembly of the League of Nations, rejected the proposal to set up s. wireless station as part of the peace machinery of the League?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThe British delegate opposed acceptance of the schemes submitted to the assembly on the ground that it would be difficult to justify in present circumstances the annual expenditure of a considerable sum by the League with the object of assuring a means of communication of very doubtful efficiency to be used only in a hypothetical, and it was to be hoped, extremely remote case. On this the question was referred to a sub-committee and eventually general agreement was reached that it would be impossible to reach any definite conclusion during the session of the assembly. The assembly therefore decided to subject the schemes to further expect examination and the matter will come up for decision next September.
§ Mr. BUXTONDid not the Rumbold Commission in the case of the Graeco-Bulgarian dispute say that better machinery for communication ought to be in existence?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir. The matter has exercised the minds of those responsible either as members of the Council or as servants of the League, but the Rumbold Commission were not experts in these matters, and my own doubts arise over the question of the efficiency of a station -which would have no business, or very little business, in ordinary times.