§ 9. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the forthcoming discussions at Geneva on minorities, he will inquire of His Majesty's Minister at Bukarest as to the number of persons imprisoned for political reasons, with or without trial, by the late Government, and the number of these recently set free by the new Government; and whether and to what extent martial law has been abolished in Bessarabia?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI will consider whether it is possible to obtain the 386 information for which the right hon. and gallant Gentleman asks in the first part of his question, but I do not understand what value such information will necessarily have in connection with any discussion upon minorities. As regards the second part, my information shows that the state of siege was raised throughout the whole of Rumania by royal decree on 20th November last except in the frontier zone to a depth of 10 kilometres. In that zone military jurisdiction will provisionally extend to offences against the Constitution, the safety of the State and public security. In the other parts of the country military jurisdiction has been transferred to the civil authorities. The liberty of the Press and freedom of speech have been restored and the censorship has been abolished.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWill the right hon. Gentleman recollect that when these matters were discussed at Geneva the Government of Rumania was not a dictatorship, and that the minority are Jewish and should receive our special protection?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI candidly do not understand the right hon. and gallant Gentleman. I will try to bear in mind all relevant matters in any discussions in which I take part at Geneva.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIs the right Gentleman aware that so long ago as 1840 Lord Palmerston issued instructions to our representatives in the Levant and Syria that they were to take the Jewish minority under their special protection?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINLord Palmerston issued a great many instructions and took action in a good many cases in a manner which is perhaps not suited to the present condition of the world.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODIf we could inoculate the right hon. Gentleman a little more with Lord Palmerston's spirit—
§ Mr. SPEAKERrose—
§ Sir HARRY BRITTAINIs the Conservative party not entitled to an occasional supplementary question?
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe are not concerned at present with Lord Palmerston's despatches.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs it usual for an hon. Member to remain standing when you are on your feet, even if he is a Member of the Conservative party?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt ought not to be necessary for me to have to repeat that Order over and over again.