§ 2. Mr. COCKSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether in view of the bombing by Italian air forces of Red Cross hospitals in Abyssinia, he will advise British Red Cross units to substitute the Union Jack for the Red Cross as a protective symbol, and at the same time inform the Italian Government that any attack upon units so protected will have the most serious consequences?
§ Mr. COCKSDo I understand that the Government are incapable of protecting their own subjects in Abyssinia; and is it not time that Signor Mussolini was afforded a taste of his own medicine?
Captain CAZALETIs it not the case that some of these units have already been flying the Red Cross and Union Jack, and that it has made no difference whatever?
6. Mr. VYVYAN ADAMSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government propose to convene a meeting of the approprivate committee at Geneva, at an early 533 date, to propose an embargo on the import of oil into the aggressor state in the Italo-Ethiopian dispute?
§ Mr. EDENIn a statement to the Council of the League on 20th April, I made it clear, as representatives of His Majesty's Government have done on previous occasions, that, in addition to the action under Article 16 which has already been taken, His Majesty's Government remain ready and willing to consider, together with their fellow-members of the League, the imposition of any further economic and financial sanctions that may be considered necessary and effective for the fulfilment of their obligations in this dispute.
§ Mr. EMMOTTWould not an embargo by the Members of the League be ineffective in view of the inability of the United States, under her neutrality legislation to limit exports of oil?
Mr. V. ADAMSDoes not the right hon. Gentleman recall the various statements made by President Roosevelt?
§ Captain Sir WILLIAM BRASSIs it not the case that the United States will not agree to it?
Miss RATHBONEIs it not the fact that President Roosevelt's Government have repeatedly declared that it is strictly contrary to the policy of the United States Government to send out abnormal exports of oil to Italy?
7. Mr. V. ADAMSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Government make any contribution to the International Red Cross?
Mr. ADAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman say why the International Red Cross are reluctant to supply evidence of alleged Italian outrages?
§ Mr. EDENThat is a matter for the International Bed Cross. I cannot reply for them. The League of Nations have set out their views in the report of the Committee of Thirteen, with which His Majesty's Government are cordially associated.
Mr. ADAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman inform me whether the policy of the International Red Cross is, in fact, determined by Italian-Swiss?
§ 12. Mr. LAMBERTasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether all the assenting members of the League of Nations are fulfilling in their entirety the policy of sanctions against Italy?
§ Mr. EDENThe position in this matter has not changed since the second report of the Committee of Experts to the President of the Co-ordination Committee was issued on 1st February last, with the exception that the Government of Ecuador has decided to cease to apply sanctions. I am arranging for copies of the second report of the Experts' Committee to be placed in the Library of the House. It will be seen that the report shows clearly the position as regards the application of sanctions by those members of the League which decided to enforce them.
§ Mr. LAMBERTIs there any machinery in the League of Nations to ascertain whether all the assenting nations are carrying out their obligations?
§ Mr. EDENThe position has been consistently watched by the Committee and the Experts' Report, to which I have referred, is a very full document.
§ 13. Mr. COCKSasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will propose at Geneva that joint action should be taken by the League to prevent the passage through the Suez Canal of supplies of poison gas for the Italian army?
§ Mr. EDENThe steps which are to be taken by the League with regard to the Italo-Abyssinian dispute will be the subject of joint consideration by the States concerned during the forthcoming meeting of the council on 11th May.
§ Mr. COCKSDo the Government propose to raise the question of poison gas passing through the Suez Canal?
§ Sir W. BRASSCan my right hon. Friend say whether the poison gas that passed through the Suez Canal was in cylinders or in bombs, to which he referred at Geneva?
§ Mr. PETHERICKIs it not the case that the League of Nations have no control over the Suez Canal Company?
§ Mr. H. G. WILLIAMSCould my right hon. Friend say whether the Labour party have offered any battleships
§ Mr. COCKSI asked whether the Government propose to put the proposition before the League at their next meeting?
§ Sir W. BRASSCan my right hon. Friend say whether the poison gas was in cylinders or in bombs?
§ 14. Mr. COCKSasked the Secretary of State for For Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government will make a public declaration to the effect that, unless immediate and effective sanctions are imposed to check Italian aggression, Great Britain will leave the League of Nations and claim complete liberty of action in the sphere of foreign policy
§ Mr. EDENThe course of events at Geneva in connection with the Italo-Abyssinian conflict must clearly be taken into careful account by His Majesty's Government in determining the future of their own policy.
§ Mr. COCKSIn view of the rising indignation in this country against the policy of collective inaction at Geneva, is it not time that a solemn warning should be given that unless the Covenant is observed, Britain will take her own course in the future and let the nations which are responsible for that stew in their own juice?
Captain ARTHUR EVANSWhen considering this matter will my right hon. Friend also bear in mind the depressing effect of sanctions on the coal industry in the special areas in South Wales?
15. Miss RATHBONEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in accordance with Article 16 of the Covenant, which prescribes for Member States the prohibition of all intercourse between their nationals and the nationals of the Covenant-breaking 536 State, he will propose to the League the withdrawal by all Member States of passport facilities enabling their nationals to visit Italy except in the case of those who habitually reside in Italy?
§ Mr. EDENI do not think that the measure proposed by the hon. Lady would materially increase the effectiveness of those measures which have already been taken under Article 16.
Miss RATHBONEHave the League ever investigated the question of the extent to which the tourist traffic and commerce of Italy would be affected by, and the financial extent of such a sanction?
§ Mr. EDENI do not think they have. I think it is clear that the tourist traffic has already been very much affected.
16. Miss RATHBONEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have proposed or will propose to the League of Nations the provision of financial assistance to Abyssinia?
§ Mr. EDENAny action in this matter must necessarily be for joint decision by the appropriate organ of the League.
Miss RATHBONEWill the right hon. Gentleman kindly answer the other part of my question, which asks whether any proposal has hitherto been made on the question of financial assistance, and whether, in view of the fact that the League during the period before the war prevented Abyssinia from obtaining arms for itself, and has since failed effectively to protect Abyssinia, responsibility does not rest upon the League and upon His Majesty's Government to make it possible for Abyssinia to obtain—
§ Mr. EDENThe question is a complicated one because, as the hon. Lady will be aware, there is no obligation under the Covenant to render financial assistance to the victim of an aggression.
§ 3. Mr. G. HARDIE (for Mr. GALLACHER)asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Minister in Addis Ababa has granted the request from poorer members of the Indian community in that town for financial assistance to get their families back to India?
§ Mr. EDENNo such request has been received by His Majesty's Minister. On the contrary, His Majesty's Consul at Addis Ababa, on 7th April reminded a representative of the local British Indian community of the existence of the normal facilities for the repatriation of distressed British subjects. The representative replied that the Indian community were perfectly aware of the existing facilities, but that he knew of no cases locally in which such assistance was desired.
§ 4. Mr. HARDIE (for Mr. GALLACHER)asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has received from the Indian community in Addis Ababa complaining of the failure of the British Minister to take adequate steps to ensure their protection in the event of Italian bombardment or air raids upon the town; and whether protection is now being afforded all British subjects equally without discrimination on racial grounds?
§ Mr. EDENNo such representations have been received. As regards the second part of the question, the suggestion that there has at any time been any discrimination in drawing up measures of protection for British subjects is entirely without foundation. So far from this being the case, His Majesty's Minister at Addis Ababa, in consultation with His Majesty's Government, has throughout taken the most careful and detailed precautions to ensure that full protection is available, in case of need, to all British subjects without distinction of any kind.