§ 14. Sir A. M. SAMUELasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether invitations are being issued to other Governments to attend an international conference held under Anglo-American auspices; and whether it is proposed to discuss war debts, excessive tariffs, and exchange restrictions at the conference?
§ Mr. EDENI cannot at present add anything to the reply which was returned to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Isle of Wight (Captain P. Macdonald) on the 6th June on this subject.
§ Sir A. M. SAMUELCan my hon. Friend tell me how a conference which excludes these matters, such as war debts and excessive tariffs, can do anything of the slightest value?
§ 16. Captain PETER MACDONALDasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has now received any replies from the Powers convening the Lausanne Conference with regard to the further conference under Anglo-American auspices on the subject of world trade; and, if so, whether he can indicate their nature?
§ 20. Mr. D. GRENFELLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the request of the International Labour Conference, endorsed by 30 Governments, that a World Economic Conference should be summoned by the League of Nations, in 8 view of the experience and authority of the League Economic and Financial Committees and the long-standing co-operation of the United States of America with these bodies, and in view of the presence at Geneva of delegations from the Governments of the United States of America and the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics, His Majesty's Government will ask the Council of the League to summon the proposed World Economic Conference at Geneva and to have it prepared by the League of Nations secretariat and economic and financial organisations?
§ Mr. EDENThe hon. Member will be aware from the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, on 1st June in reply to the Leader of the Opposition, that a suggestion for a World Economic Conference has been made and that His Majesty's Government are consulting upon this suggestion the other Governments who will be assembled at Lausanne, where, as the hon. Member is aware, the terms of reference in any case largely cover the ground. The views of those Governments have not yet been received and His Majesty's Government consider that it would be preferable to await them before considering other suggestions such as that put forward in the question.
§ Mr. GRENFELLWill the hon. Gentleman tell the House whether the Prime Minister is consulting the other parties at Lausanne on the advisability of extending the scope of the invitation to all these nations?
§ Mr. EDENIf the hon. Gentleman will read my answer, he will see that we have already been in communication with the Governments who, with us, issued the invitations for Lausanne. We have not yet received their comments.