§ 5. Sir A. CHAMBERLAINasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now state the attitude of the Government towards the amendments to the Covenant of the League of Nations proposed by the League Committee on the Covenant and the Paris Pact of Peace?
§ Mr. DALTONHis Majesty's Government are generally in favour of the proposed amendments of the Covenant, and, after seeking the concurrence of His Majesty's Governments in the Dominions, will support the adoption of the amendments at the next meeting of the Assembly of the League of Nations. If they are accepted by the Assembly, an opportunity will be given for discussion in this House before ratification.
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThe hon. Gentleman, in his opening sentence, said "are generally accepted." Does he mean by that that there are particular provisions or that there is a particular provision to which His Majesty's Government propose to take exception, or does he mean that they accept them subject to the discussion at Geneva?
§ Mr. HERBERT GIBSON rose—
§ Mr. DALTONIf hon. Members opposite will extend the same courtesy to my hon. Friend behind me, I am perfectly prepared to answer the right hon. Gentleman—[HON. MEMBERS: "Get on!"]—but I am not prepared for my hon. Friend behind me to be howled down.
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINOn a point of Order. I asked a supplementary question, to which you, Mr. Speaker, called upon the hon. Gentleman to reply. Is he entitled to use the opportunity which you have given him to attack the conduct of Members here in a matter in which they are subject to the directions of the Chair alone?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI always try, if I can, to give the original questioner the privilege of putting the first supplementary question. I think it is very much more convenient and more acceptable to the House in general that he should receive a reply without interruption from another hon. Member.
Mr. MACLEANOn a point of Order. Has it not been the practice of hon. Members opposite already this afternoon to jump in and ask supplementary questions before the original questioner has had an opportunity?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI am not referring to any particular side of the House.
Mr. MACLEANFurther to that point of Order. The matter at present before the House that is being taken exception to is on this side of the House only.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat happens to be the case. I cannot help that.
§ Mr. DALTONReplying to the supplementary question of the right hon. Gentleman, the phrase which I used "generally in favour of," was based upon a statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary at the Council of the League of Nations at Geneva. I conceive that it would be improper for me to endeavour to enter into minutiœ of interpretation in view of the fact that my right hon. Friend will be back in the House next week—[An HON. MEMBER: "Thank Heaven!"] I refrain from expressing my view of the courtesy of the hon. Gentleman. I interpret the phrase used by my right hon. Friend to mean a somewhat less precise acceptance of the text of these amendments that if the word "generally" had been omitted. I understand, in other words, that my right hon. Friend is reserving liberty to consider amendments of detail which would not be in conflict with the general purpose of the amendments which he has approved on behalf of His Majesty's Government at the meeting of the Council at Geneva.
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI must express my thanks to the hon. Gentleman for the answer, and say that I shall be very glad to see the Secretary of State back. I will put a further question to him on the subject as soon as he returns.
§ Mr. GIBSONIs not the object of these amendments to close the gall in the Covenant with a view to preventing private war?
§ Mr. DALTONYes, Sir; that is the object of these amendments, and it was with a view to securing amendments to the Covenant in this sense that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, and also the Prime Minister, spoke on this subject at the last Assembly of the League of Nations at Geneva. It is part of the policy of His Majesty's Government to complete the legal provisions, which at the present time exist, in order to make war an international crime.
§ 13. Mr. G. LOCKER-LAMPSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when copies of the report of the committee on the suggested amendments of the Covenant will be available for Members?
§ Mr. DALTONAs I stated on Monday last, I will represent to my right hon. Friend, on his return from Geneva, the 1857 desire in certain quarters of the House that additional copies of the report of the committee should be made available to Members. In the meantime I have caused six printed copies of the report—all that are at present available—to be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Major ELLIOTDo we understand that no more reports will be available until after the return of the Secretary of State from Geneva?
§ Mr. DALTONNo more reports can be made available by the Foreign Office until more reports are received by the Foreign Office and, in order to meet the convenience of hon. Members, I have taken steps to secure that these six copies, which are the total in the possession of the Foreign Office, and which are printed—since I understand that objection was taken to reading typewritten copies—are placed in the Library. Obviously, no further action can be taken until we receive more copies, or until my right hon. Friend decides in what form, if any, he will gratify the wishes expressed by hon. Members for the greater availability of the document. With regard to the question of the White Paper, there is, I think, no precedent or very few precedents—I think there are none—for the issue as a British White Paper of a League of Nations publication. I recall that when I sat on the other side of the House, and the right hon. Gentleman the ex-Foreign Secretary occupied a seat on this Bench, I asked him on one occasion, if not on more than one, to issue a White Paper containing a report of a League of Nations Committee—[HON. MEMBERS: "Circulate it!"] I am going to finish what I am saying—[Interruption.] I recall—and this is relevant to the answer—that the right hon. Gentleman on that occasion pointed out—[HON. MEMBERS "Circulate it!"]—that the question—
Mr. ERNEST WINTERTONOn a point of Order. I wish to call your attention to the fact that the Under-Secretary of State was asked a question about the White Paper by the Front Bench opposite and that when he proceeds to answer it he is interrupted.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYOn that point of Order. It is quite impossible for us on these benches to hear, owing to the cries of "Circulate it!" from the other side. Is it in order for hon. Members opposite to prevent us from hearing Parliamentary answers?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe answer which was being given was a long one. I would remind hon. Members that there are 73 questions on the Paper and that we have reached only 13.
§ Sir NICHOLAS GRATTAN-DOYLEWould not all this trouble be obviated if the hon. Member dropped his superior tone?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf hon. Members who put questions will confine themselves to trying to get information and if Ministers will confine themselves merely to stating facts, we shall get on better.
§ Major ELLIOT rose—
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe cannot spend the whole afternoon on this one question.