§ 6. Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOXasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in order to make the League of Nations an effective instrument for peace by attracting non-member nations to join the League, he will propose at the League meeting in September the abandonment of all coercive sections of the Covenant?
§ Mr. EDENI can at present add nothing to the observations which I made in the Debate on Monday last on the subject of the future working of the League.
§ Sir A. KNOXHas not the experience of the last few months proved conclusively that a League of Nations which does not contain all the great Powers is helpless as an instrument of peace, and is not the only way to get these Powers to come back to the League to abolish all coercive sanctions?
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSWould it not be just as easy to ensure perfect administration of the law in this country if we abolished the Army and the police force?
Mr. VYVYAN ADAMSWhat would be the use of attracting new members to an entirely impotent institution?
§ Mr. MANDERWould it not be like asking burglars to join a police force?
8. Miss RATHBONEasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give an assurance that no fundamental changes in the Covenant of the League will be made or finally assented to by His Majesty's Government until Parliament has had an opportunity of discussing the changes in question?