§ 15 and 20. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether, seeing that in the December conversations at Lugano, Herr Strese-mann made it clear that Germany would not consent to the proposed control committee continuing in the Rhineland after the year 1935, he will say whether the duration of this control committee is still a matter of negotiations; and what view of the matter is now taken by His Majesty's Government;
(2) whether he can give the House any account as to the progress of the negotiations with reference to the evacuation of the Rhineland or the duration of the committee of control?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINAs regards the Rhineland, there has been no change in the situation since I spoke during the Debate on the Adjournment on the 20th of December last. In speaking of a "control committee," I presume that the right hon. and gallant Gentleman intends to refer to the Commission of Verification and Conciliation mentioned in Paragraph 3 of the Geneva Resolution of 16th September, 1928. The word "control" was not used in the Resolution and would convey an entirely wrong impression of the character and purpose of the body to be created. The Geneva Resolution stated that the six Powers were agreed as to
the acceptance of the principle of the constitution of a Commission of Verification and Conciliation, and that the composition, operation, object and duration of the said commission will form the subject of negotiations between the Governments concerned.Methods of giving effect to this Resolution are, I doubt not, being studied by the Governments, but no negotiations are at present in progress.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODDoes the right hon. Gentleman intend to convey the idea that the German Government have accepted this Committee—the Control Committee, I think they call it. Are they still in favour of it; or have the 8 German Government changed their mind and now say that they are not in favour of this Committee continuing to control the Rhineland after 1935?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI carefully refrained from extending my answer to the assumptions underlying the right hon. and gallant Gentleman's question: and I do not think it would be helpful for me to do so. The three Governments undertook to study this question; and they are doing so.
§ Colonel WEDGWOODWhat I desire to find out is this—I do not want to ask any questions which would be inconvenient—have the German Government changed their attitude. In September the German Chancellor more or less accepted the prospect of this Committee; have the German Government made any change on that?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINOh, no. We are proceeding on the Resolution to which the German Chancellor, Dr. Muller, was a party in September.