32. Mr. MALONEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any date has yet been fixed for the first meeting of the committee of three set up by the recent Council meeting of the League of Nations to prepare a Report on the subject of minorities; and, if so, what is the date?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThe Committee held one meeting before leaving Geneva. The 29th of April is the date fixed for meeting again.
33. Mr. MALONEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the right conferred by Article 12 of the Minorities Treaties upon any member of the Council of the League of Nations to bring to the attention of the Council any infraction or any danger of infraction of the obligations incurred by these treaties, and in view of the treatment of the White Russian and Ukranian minorities in Poland by the Polish authorities, which constitutes an infraction of the treaties, he is prepared to call the attention of the League Council to this infraction and so assist in the more effective carrying out of the minorities treaties?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI am not prepared to endorse the hon. Member's contention that the treatment of these minorities calls for intervention under Article 12 of the Minorities Treaties, but I will consider any information which he may desire to lay before me in support of his view.
Mr. MALONEIs it not a fact that the German and Hungarian minorities are very ably watched by the German and Hungarian Governments while the Ukranian and White Russian minorities have no great power to protect them, and would if be possible before this conference is called to call for a Report from the British representative in Warsaw?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI see no reason for taking action at present. If the hon. Member wishes to put any facts before me, and they are facts which tend to define the position, I shall be glad to consider them.
Mr. BECKETTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in 1926 two members of this House saw more than 30 of these Ukranians being tried in a language which they did not understand and that they received life sentences?