§ 16. Sir K. WOODasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has given consideration to the orders recently passed by the executive committee of the Comintern to the Communist party of Great Britain and published recently in "Pravda," the official Soviet organ, to organise the workers for violent assaults on the authorities of Great Britain, and particularly that India and India's millions offered one of the most promising fields for breaking the power of Great Britain; and what action he is taking in the matter?
§ Mr. MILLSBefore this question is answered, I wish to raise a point of Order regarding it. I presented a question to the Clerk at the Table which concerned Russian affairs and a newspaper was mentioned and that was deleted by Order of the Table. I had to amend that question four times before it was accepted, and it was understood that no future questions would be allowed which depended on statements in the newspapers of other countries.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have not seen the question to which the hon. Member refers.
§ Mr. DALTONI have not been able to trace the alleged orders in the copies of the "Pravda" so far received, although I have seen references to them in certain organs of the London Press. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.
§ Sir K. WOODIs the hon. Gentleman going to make some inquiries into this very considerable matter, as it affects the Treaty and the Obligations of a so-called friendly nation?
§ Mr. THURTLEFurther to the point of Order which was raised just now. Does 1853 it not appear that this question was founded on a paragraph in a newspaper, and has the right hon. Gentleman any right to put on the Paper a question for which he has no better authority than that?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIn this instance, the paper is regarded as a Government publication.