§ 12. Colonel GOODMANasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the nature of the news bulletin broadcast in English from the Rome shortwave station for Canadian and American listeners; and, in view of the tendentious character of the information given, has he caused any representations to be made to the Italian Government?
§ Mr. EDENI have no information about a news bulletin of the nature referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend, but I am making inquiries.
§ 14. Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have made it, or will make it, clear to the French Government that the procedure of the League of Nations in connection with the Italian aggression will be followed in the case of aggression in Austria or across the Rhine, and that that procedure is not affected by other agreements such as the Locarno Treaty?
§ Mr. EDENThe procedure of the League of Nations must in each particular case be decided by the League itself. As regards the attitude of His Majesty's Government towards their League obligations in the case of possible future acts of aggression in Europe, I would call the right hon. Gentleman's attention to the terms of my right hon. Friend's note of 26th September to the French Ambassador to which I have nothing to add. This note was published in the Press on 30th September, and I am sending the right hon. Gentleman a copy of it.
§ Sir AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINCould not some of these documents, which have appeared in the Press and are of considerable consequence, be brought together in a white paper, so as to be handy for reference for Members of the House of Commons?
§ 17. Mr. DALTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will now make a further statement regarding the proposals for which His Majesty's Government have made themselves responsible for a settlement of the war in Africa?
§ Mr. EDENNo, Sir; I have at present nothing to add to previous statements and to the White Paper which has been distributed to hon. Members. I would ask the hon. Member to await the full statement which will be made in the course of the Debate, which, I understand, is to take place shortly.
§ Mr. DALTONDo the Government still accept responsibility for these shameful proposals?
§ Mr. DALTONSubject to your Ruling, Mr. Speaker, I think the question I have put is in order, and I await an answer from the right hon. Gentleman.
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf the question had been submitted to me as one to be put on the Paper, I should not have allowed the adjective which the hon. Member used.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI am sorry to say that it is true of some of them.
§ 18. Mr. DALTONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have now decided on what date they will carry out their treaty obligations under Article XVI of the Covenant of the League of Nations by prohibiting the supply of oil to Italy; and whether they have urged other Governments to take like action, and with what results?
§ Mr. EDENI have nothing to add to the statement made to the House on this subject by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs during the Debate on the Address on 5th December.
§ Mr. DALTONSince that statement have his Majesty's Government been entirely inactive in relation to foreign Governments in regard to an oil embargo?
§ Mr. EDENAs the House knows, the application of sanctions by the League is governed not only by Article XVI but by resolutions which were adopted by the Assembly in 1921. On that basis the League has been working consistently.
§ Mr. DALTONHave his Majesty's Government been active or inactive?
§ Mr. GARRO-JONESIn order to render effective such collective action as might be taken, have His Majesty's Government taken steps with nations which are not members of the League, in order to strengthen collective action outside the League?
§ 20. Mr. THURTLEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government still adhere to the declaration made by the Minister for League of Nations Affairs to Parliament on 23rd October that one of the indispensable conditions of any settlement of the dispute between Italy and Abyssinia was that the terms of any such settlement must be consistent with the Covenant of the League of Nations?
§ Mr. THURTLEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the country will read that answer with satisfaction?
§ 22. Mr. SHINWELLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the date and time at which the full text of the Franco-British peace proposals were presented to the Governments of Italy and Abyssinia by the British Ministers at Rome and Addis Ababa, respectively, and also upon what date and at what time the full text of these proposals were received by the Secretary-General of the League of Nations?
§ Mr. EDENThe text of the proposals was presented to the head of the Italian Government by His Majesty's Ambassador in Rome at 5.30 p.m. on 11th December. It was handed to the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs in Addis Ababa by His Majesty's Minister on the morning of 13th December. The proposals were communicated to the Secretary-General for 1383 circulation to the Council of the League of Nations on the afternoon of 13th December.
§ Mr. SHINWELLWill the right hon. Gentleman explain to the House why simultaneous presentation was not arranged at Rome and Addis Ababa, and why there should have been such delay in presenting the text of the proposals to the Secretary-General of the League?
§ Mr. EDENIf the hon. Member will look at my answer, I do not think that there was any undue delay.
§ Mr. SHINWELLWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the first part of my supplementary question, why simultaneous presentation was not arranged in Rome and Addis Ababa?
§ Mr. EDENThere was simultaneous despatch. It is impossible for His Majesty's Government to guarantee simultaneous delivery.
§ Mr. SHINWELLWill the right hon. Gentleman be quite frank with the House and say whether in fact the note was received in Addis Ababa two days after the note was received in Rome?
§ Mr. EDENI do not think the House will suspect me of not being frank. I have told the House that the time of the despatch to the two capitals was simultaneous.
§ Mr. GARRO-JONESWas it within the terms of the Government's policy that there should accompany these proposals a recommendation of the Foreign Secretary that the Empire of Abyssinia should on the grounds of statesmanship accept the terms?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question does not seem to relate to the question on the Order Paper.