44. Mr. VYVYAN ADAMSasked the President of the Board of Trade the extent, character, and value of the licences for the export of arms and munitions to China and Japan, respectively, up to the 27th February, and similar details as to the applications for licences made since that date?
§ Lieut.-Colonel COLVILLE (Secretary, Overseas Trade Department)As the answer includes tables of figures I will 1591 circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Particulars of values will not be included, as it is not the practice to make public information on the subject.
§ Following is the statement:
§ Statement showing war material covered by export licences issued for China and Japan in the period 1st to 27th February, 1933.
| China. | Japan. |
| 20 303 rifles. | Nil. |
| 20,000 303 rifle cartridges. | |
| 6,000,000 792 m.m. rifle cartridges. | |
| 3 bomb racks. | |
| 3 bomb sights. | |
| 3 gun cameras. |
§ Statement showing war material in respect of which applications for export licences for China and Japan have been made since 27th February, 1933. (These applications are still under consideration.)
| China. | Japan. |
| 67,00013.2 m.m. machine-gun cartridges. | 150 7.7 m.m. machine-guns with spare parts. |
§ 14. Mr. FLEMINGasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs which foreign governments have placed an embargo on the export of arms or munitions to China or Japan?
§ 15. Mr. LEWISasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs which countries have as yet followed our example in placing an embargo upon the export of arms and ammunition to China and Japan?
§ Mr. BALDWINNo other country has yet placed an embargo on the export of arms and munitions to China or Japan.
§ Mr. FLEMINGWill my right hon. Friend tell the House what advantage this country gets from this embargo, and if there is any likelihood —
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat seems to be a matter of opinion.
§ Mr. LEWISHow long do the Government propose to continue an embargo which has not the active support or even 1592 the expressed approval of any other civilised country?
§ Mr. BALDWINI understand that a question may be asked by Private Notice on that subject, and I have an answer.
§ Mr. LANSBURY (by Private Notice)asked the Lord President of the Council whether the Government are now in a position to make any further statement on the question of the arms embargo?
§ Mr. BALDWINYes, Sir. The decision of the Government announced by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 27th February, that no licences for the export of any article mentioned in the Arms Export Prohibition Order, 1931, to either China or Japan would be authorised as from that day, was, as stated at the time, a provisional arrangement pending the opportunity of international consultation and decision. Since then, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have had the opportunity of discussing this matter with the representatives of various other countries, and they have now informed us that, in their opinion, there is no prospect of any international agreement upon the subject in the near future.
In these circumstances, no useful purpose would be served by maintaining an embargo observed by this country alone, and, accordingly, the Government have decided to remove it as from to-day. At the same time, the Government remains firmly convinced that the only satisfactory solution of a problem which is bound to recur in the future, is to be found in an international agreement. Accordingly, it is their intention vigorously to pursue the conversations already begun as and when opportunity offers with the earnest desire to arrive at a form of agreement which, will in the future secure uniformity of action on this important subject.
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Cabinet has now decided that the Covenant of the League and the obligations under the Covenant are of no effect and that no steps can be taken to stop an aggressive war; and whether the House will have a further opportunity of discussing this very important matter; and is he aware that it is not merely a question of what this country will do on the matter of the embargo, but very much a question of 1593 whether the League of Nations becomes absolutely futile in a crisis of this kind?
§ Mr. BALDWINThis country, in my view, set a great example, but, so far we have been unable to persuade anyone to follow that example and our practice now conforms to the practice of all other States whether members of the League or not. With regard to the possibility of a discussion in the House, I imagine that when the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary return they will probably have something to report to the House. I cannot say now in what circumstances a Debate may take place, but that, it seems to me, would be the appropriate occasion to raise the question.
§ Mr. LANSBURYI only want your permission, Mr. Speaker, to put one further point. If we are to wait until the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary return, will they very kindly make their first statement in this House rather than through the Press?
§ Mr. COCKSMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Government are trying to arrive at international agreement with the object of imposing an embargo upon Japan alone or on both countries?
§ Mr. BALDWINI should have thought that the hon. Gentleman would have understood from what I have said that other countries are supplying both China and Japan.
§ Mr. THORNEHaving regard to the cheers which the right hon. Gentleman has had from both sides of his party, may I ask him whether they believe in what is called the legal murder of both Chinese and Japanese?
§ Captain PETER MACDONALDMay I ask if this attitude applies equally to the South American countries as to Japan and China?
§ Mr. BALDWINI have no further replies to give on any other subject than that of the question.
§ Mr. BALDWINI have no details of the conversations which have taken place, but I can trust our own delegates in Geneva to do what they conceive to be their duty.
Miss RATH BONEWhen the right hon. Gentleman told us that negotiations were going on with regard to the future, did he mean to imply that all hope has been abandoned of securing agreement with regard to the present Sino-Japanese dispute, or are we to understand that the negotiations still going on have reference to the Sino-Japanese dispute?
§ Mr. BALDWINI hope very much that the present dispute is practically over. The hon. Lady may take it from me that so far as my information goes there is no hope of other nations falling into line with regard to this dispute.