HC Deb 11 November 1929 vol 231 cc1505-7
16. Sir ASSHETON POWNALL

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet heard from Mr. Dovgalevski with regard to the attitude of the Rusian Government towards his statement that His Majesty's Government would hold the Russian Government responsible for the actions of the Third International?

Mr. A. HENDERSON

No, Sir; and I do not expect to, my remarks having been a statement of fact and not an inquiry.

Sir A. POWNALL

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider it as an essential feature of our making a treaty with Russia that we should get a measure at least of reciprocity and agreement with regard to this question of the Third International?

Mr. HENDERSON

I am afraid I can not add anything to what I said in my statement during the Debate.

Marquess of TITCHFIELD

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that since he made his statement to the House the other day the Comintern have stated that they are still going on with their propaganda against this country?

Mr. THURTLE

On a point of Order. Has not the House of Commons already expressed its opinion on this matter?

Mr. HENDERSON

I am not aware of any official statement. I have read statements that have been made in the Russian Press, and I have to attach as much importance to some of them as I have to statements in the Press here.

45. Lieut.-Colonel Sir FREDERICK HALL

asked the Prime Minister whether he will authorise the publication, by means of a White Paper, of copies of all the correspondence that has taken place between the Government and the Dominions with respect to resumption of diplomatic relations with Russia?

The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Ramsay MacDonald)

The answer is in the negative.

Sir F. HALL

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman what objection he has to making the correspondence public?

The PRIME MINISTER

I have no special and specific objection to making this correspondence public, but it belongs to a class of correspondence which, in the public interest, every Government has agreed should not be published.

Mr. SMITHERS

Does the right hon. Gentleman remember that in the Debate on this subject he said, I believe—I am quoting from memory—that we would ask the Dominion Governments if they would consent to publication of this document? Has he done so?

Mr. SPEAKER

That is another question.

Sir WILLIAM MITCHELL-THOMSON

If any correspondence is published by the Dominion Governments, will that correspondence be published by His Majesty's Government?

The PRIME MINISTER

I must not be asked hypothetical questions.

Mr. ALLEN

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman how he defines secret diplomacy?

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