§ 67. Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any reports from His Majesty's Minister at Belgrade as to how far the present constitution in Yugoslavia protects the rights of the Croats and Slovenes as equal parties in the State; and whether he will urge His Majesty's Minister to call the attention of the Government of Yugoslavia to any infringement of the promise contained in the preamble of the Treaty of St. Germainen-Laye that the peoples of that State, of whatever race, language, or religion, shall have full guarantees of liberty and justice?
§ Mr. EDENThe Yugoslav Constitution provides that the Croats and Slovenes form with the Serbs a single nationality and that all citizens of Yugoslavia are equal before the law. I do not feel called upon to take any action in the sense suggested by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. DAVIESIn view of the fact that the Croats and Slovenes are not treated equally with the Serbs under the law of Jugoslavia, and that, His Majesty's Government at that time were one of the parties interested in giving a constitution to Yugoslavia, is it not possible for His Majesty's Government to intervene to see that the Croats and Slovenes get fair play?
§ Mr. EDENNo, Sir. I do not think so. We have had no recent allegation in regard to any minority treatment by the Yugoslavia Government.
§ Mr. DAVIESIs not the hon. Gentleman fully aware that the Croats and Slovenes are not minorities; that they are racially within the State, and that they cannot proceed under the minority rules of the League of Nations?