§ 45. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Prime Minister whether the other nations possessing submarines are to be invited to adhere to the rules agreed upon at the present Naval Conference under which submarines may attack merchant shipping at sea; and what will be the procedure for inviting the adherence of the other naval Powers possessing submarines to these rules, especially those who are not members of the League of Nations?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Philip Snowden)The procedure to be adopted for securing universal acceptance of the rules governing submarines will presumably, at the appropriate time, engage the attention of the Preparatory Commission at Geneva, representation on which is not confined to members of the League of Nations and whose task in preparing the way for a general disarmament treaty will, it is hoped, be facilitated by the achievements of the London Naval Conference.
§ Commander SOUTHBYIs it, not a fact that the rules regarding visit and search of merchant ships in war time by men-of-war have always applied to submarines in exactly the same way as to surface ships?
§ Mr. SNOWDENI do not know anything about what is the existing law in the matter. I have been asked to say what is likely to arise out of what is taking place at the Naval Conference, and my answer must be confined to that.
§ Commander BELLAIRSWill it be proposed to other nations at the same time to apply the rules to aircraft as well?