§ 6. Mr. LOUIS SMITHasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, taking the nations affiliated to the League of Nations, he can state which of their number have State factories of munitions of war sufficient to meet their needs and which of them have not; and whether the British Government, in view of the importance of the issue presented 825 by the private manufacture of arms, will suggest to the Council of the League of Nations that they might consult nations which are members of the League as to their views upon the proposal to restrict all manufacture of war munitions solely to State concerns?
§ Mr. EDENI regret that the necessary information to enable me to reply to the first part of my hon. Friend's question is not in the possession of His Majesty's Government. As regards the second part of the question, the possibility of restricting the manufacture of war material to State concerns was considered by the Temporary Mixed Commission, appointed by the First Assembly of the League of Nations, which was unable to make any recommendation for the abolition of private manufacture. It was subsequently discussed by the Committee of the Disarmament Conference dealing with the Manufactrue and Traffic in Arms in 1932 and 1933. This committee was unable to reach agreement on the question, which was left for decision by the General Commission of the Conference. The General Commission has not as yet considered it, but, as my hon. Friend will be aware, certain proposals for the regulation of the trade in and manufacture of arms are now before the Disarmament Conference.
§ Sir PERCY HARRISWill the right hon. Gentleman get the information asked for in the first part of the question, seeing that it would be extraordinarily interesting to everyone concerned?
§ Mr. THORNEIs it not a fact that, if many people in different parts of the world had as much common sense as others, there would be no need to manufacture munitions?