SPAIN.

HC Deb 16 June 1937 vol 325 cc339-48

3. Mr. Day

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the particulars on what terms Germany and Italy consented to be represented again on the Non-Intervention Committee; and whether, failing any agreement, any advice has been received by the committee to the effect that Italy proposes to consent to the despatch of further volunteers to Spain?

Mr. Eden

I am arranging to place in the Library of the House a copy of the terms of the agreement which was reached on Saturday last on the subject of the conditions necessary for the continued operation by all four Powers of the naval patrol scheme. As a result of this agreement I am glad to be able to tell the House that information has just reached me that the German and Italian Governments have decided to resume, as from to-day, full participation both in the work of the Non-Intervention Committee and in the work of naval observation in Spanish waters. The House will note that the two Governments have now taken this action in advance of the receipt of the assurances which have been asked for from the two parties in Spain.

Mr. Thorne

Does the reply mean that the Germans and Italians are going to supply no more war material?

Mr. Eden

It means, I trust, that they are going to join with us in trying to ensure that no war material is supplied.

Mr. Arthur Henderson

Has the agreement been formally approved by the Non-Intervention Committee?

Mr. Eden

The document was sent to the Non-Intervention Committee.

4. Mr. Mander

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether answers have been received from General Franco to protests made by His Majesty's Government on 4th January, 12th January, 13th February, 30th March, and 28th April, 1937; and, if so, whether they will be published?

Mr. Eden

Protests were addressed to the Insurgent authorities on 4th January regarding interference at sea with the Steamship "Blackhill," and on 30th March regard interference with the Steamship "Springwear," and replies were received to both notes. I have not been able to trace the other protests to which the hon. Member refers.

Mr. Bellenger

Has a reply been received to the protest regarding the damage to His Majesty's Ship "Hunter"?

Mr. Eden

I should like notice of that question.

Mr. Mander

Have these replies been published?

Mr. Eden

No. I am not anxious that they should be, because I think we are still negotiating on these matters.

5. Mr. A. Henderson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will name the Governments which have been consulted on the proposed inquiry into the bombardment of Guernica; and whether any replies have now been received?

Mr. Eden

The Governments consulted were the French, German, Italian, Soviet and Portuguese Governments. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on Monday last.

Mr. Henderson

Will the right hon. Gentleman state which Governments have replied to the message of His Majesty's Government?

Mr. Eden

I should like notice of that question.

Miss Rathbone

Have the Basque Government and the insurgent forces also replied as to whether they are willing to consent to an inquiry such as is proposed?

Mr. Henderson

Has the right hon. Gentleman observed the second part of my question, asking whether any replies have been received? May we not be told which Governments have replied?

Mr. Eden

The hon. Gentleman asked whether any replies have been received. My impression is that only one reply is outstanding, but I should like to check the matter up.

Mr. Wedgwood Benn

Are the Government in earnest in trying to get at the truth of this horrible barbarity?

Mr. Eden

Yes, Sir, but it is quite impossible for one Government to act without co-operation with the others.

Miss Rathbone

Have the insurgent leaders consented to such an inquiry? We understand that the Basque Government have consented.

Mr. Eden

I was asked about the answers of non-Spanish Governments.

6. Mr. A. Henderson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Non-Intervention Committee is taking any steps to prevent foreign submarines being used on either side in the Spanish civil war?

Mr. Eden

The Non-Intervention Agreement prohibits, among other things, the despatch of foreign vessels of war for the purpose of taking part in the Spanish conflict.

Mr. Henderson

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Spanish Government have repeatedly alleged that foreign submarines are being used in the civil war; and does he not fear another international incident if something is not done?

Mr. Eden

I am always conscious of the danger of an international incident in connection with Spain.

8. Brigadier-General Sir Henry Croft

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that General Franco offered that the old men, women and children of Bilbao should be evacuated to a zone west of Bilbao under guarantee from the International Red Cross, and that such zone would not be used for military purposes; whether this offer was conveyed to His Majesty's Government; and whether any steps were taken to provide such an asylum on Spanish soil under guarantee of the Red Cross before thousands of Spanish children were taken from their parents and removed to foreign countries?

Mr. Eden

A proposal to this effect was contained in the reply received from the insurgent authorities to the communication made to them by His Majesty's Ambassador at Hendaye, in which notification was given of the steps which His Majesty's Government proposed to take to protect Basque refugee ships. His Majesty's Ambassador accordingly inquired of the insurgent authorities whether their proposal constituted an offer of subsidiary action to that which was then being taken, and whether it might be put before the Basque authorities with a view to the opening of negotiations. At the same time, unofficial inquiries were made by His Majesty's Consul at Bilbao, from whom it was, however, learnt that the Basque authorities did not regard the proposal as a practicable one, on the grounds that there were no villages between Bilbao and Santander capable of housing large numbers of persons, no water and no sanitary arrangements, and that the position of refugees might become untenable in the event of an insurgent advance in the direction of Santander. The insurgent authorities, as a result of the steps which had already been taken, subsequently made it clear that they were themselves no longer interested in the proposal, and it was, therefore, felt that no useful purpose would be served by pursuing it any further.

Sir H. Croft

Is it not a fact that in a similar situation General Franco asked the Valencia Government whether women and children could be evacuated to a sanctuary in another province, and that this was refused on the ground that it would be contrary to the military situation?

Mr. Eden

I have seen reports to that effect. In this case, of course, our intervention was called for, and that is why I had to state our position.

Mr. Thurtle

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of the children referred to in this question as having been taken from their parents have no parents, because they have been orphaned by the bombs of Franco?

9. Mr. A. Henderson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the number of foreign nationals serving with the Spanish insurgent forces is estimated to be approximately 120,000 men, including 80,000 Italians and 29,000 Germans, and serving in the Spanish Government forces approximately 20,000 foreign nationals, including 15,000 in the international brigade; and whether he is in a position to make any further statement with regard to their withdrawal?

Mr. Eden

I have frequently informed the House that I am not in a position to give authoritative figures of the numbers of foreign combatants serving on either side in Spain, but I must not be taken as accepting the estimate given in the hon. Member's question. As regards the proposals now under consideration for the withdrawal of foreign volunteers, I have nothing at present to add to the statement which I made in reply to questions by the hon. Member for Derby (Mr. Noel-Baker) on 2nd June and 9th June.

Mr. Henderson

Is it not possible to obtain some information on this point from the Non-Intervention Committee?

Mr. Eden

I very much doubt whether they would be prepared to vouch for figures any more than I am.

Mr. Henderson

Have not the Committee drawn up a draft scheme, and must they not have some estimate of the numbers of foreign nationals?

Captain Cazalet

Does not my right hon. Friend think that the figures mentioned in the question are grossly exaggerated?

Mr. Herbert Morrison

Are the Government in the least degree interested in the continued defiance of the Non-Intervention Agreement by the Fascist Powers, and are not they themselves conniving at it?

Mr. Speaker

That is not a proper question.

10. Mr. Riley

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many consular or other British Government representatives there are now in Spain; and what are the principal towns in which these representatives are located?

Mr. Eden

There are two diplomatic officers at Valencia and 48 consular officers in Spain, including its dependencies and the Spanish Zone of Morocco, distributed in 29 posts, the principal towns in which these posts are established being Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Malaga, Seville, Teneriffe, Valencia and Vigo.

Mr. Riley

Does not the right hon. Gentleman receive information from these representatives in their respective districts as to what is happening in the civil war?

Mr. Eden

Yes, I receive information in the ordinary course.

11. Mr. Riley

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to whether any German or Italian combatants have been landed in Spain since 20th February of this year; if so, can he state, approximately, the number of such combatants; and whether any munitions of war, guns or aeroplanes, from Germany or Italy have entered Spain since 20th February and, if so, the approximate quantity?

Mr. Eden

During the earlier stages of the conflict in Spain numbers of foreign combatants and material reached both sides in Spain from abroad, though I am not in a position to give an authoritative estimate of the numbers or quantities involved. Since the agreement of 10th February concerning volunteers our information goes to show that the flow of foreign nationals to Spain has been checked. The hon. Member will, moreover, be aware that His Majesty's Government have proposed further measures for preventing further foreign combatants or supplies of war material from reaching Spain, and that the scheme of international supervision was drawn up for this purpose. His Majesty's Government will continue to work with this aim in view, and notably to secure agreement on the withdrawal of all foreign combatants.

Mr. Riley

Will the right hon. Gentleman reply to the question whether foreign nationals have landed since 20th February, and has he seen a statement published in Rome that thousands of wounded have returned from Spain to Italy, and does he think all these men went to Spain before 20th February?

Mr. Eden

Since the agreement of 20th February our information goes to show that the flow of foreign nationals to Spain has been checked.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Has my right hon. Friend seen the account, also published in Rome, of the ships that have left Odessa since 20th February laden with guns and aeroplanes for Spain, and is it not conceivable that both reports are equally true or untrue?

Mr. Cocks rose

—

Mr. Speaker

We cannot have any more supplementaries on this question.

12. Mr. Mander

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is proposed to arrange, through the Non-Intervention Committee or otherwise, for any guarantees to be given to the Spanish Government against the further landing of foreign troops or shelling by foreign battleships?

Mr. Eden

I have already stated that the Board for Non-Intervention have received no evidence of foreign combatants having actually been landed since the Observation Agreement came into force. As regards the second part of the question, it is our view that the proposals contained in the agreement reached in London on Saturday last should prevent incidents of the character to which the hon. Member refers.

Mr. Mander

Is not the Spanish Government just as much entitled to guarantees against German invasion and attack on battleships as the German Government is from Spanish attack?

Mr. Eden

If the hon. Member will read my answer he will see that point dealt with.

13. Miss Wilkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the bombardment of Bilbao by large numbers of German and Italian aeroplanes has been brought to the notice of the Nonintervention Committee?

Mr. Eden

No, Sir.

Captain Cazalet

Has my right hon. Friend any information about other breaches of non-intervention, and the arrival of large numbers of aeroplanes to help the Spanish Government?

Mr. Eden

I should like to make it plain that the Government are not satisfied with the working of the Non-Intervention scheme. At the same time it has been come to by agreement between all the European Powers in the interest of peace in Europe. I think the House would wish to consider very carefully before taking any action which might imperil that agreement.

Mr. Benn

Is it or is it not true, as stated in responsible newspapers, that Bilbao is being wiped out by relays of German aeroplanes?

Mr. Eden

It is true that there are large numbers of foreign aeroplanes on both sides.

Miss Wilkinson

Is it a fact that the Press in this country that supports the Government has, in fact, been blaming the Madrid Government because there are no aeroplanes defending Bilbao, and is it fair in those circumstances to say that there are aeroplanes on both sides?

Mr. Eden

I did not say that the Basque Government had aeroplanes at Bilbao. I said the Spanish Government had aeroplanes.

Miss Wilkinson

Is it a fact that it is being stated that the Valencia Government—

Mr. Speaker

This is becoming an argument.

Miss Wilkinson

I was being interrupted by the other side. I really am only asking for information, because I think the Foreign Secretary has misunderstood my original question. I only want to ask whether it is not the Basque Government but the Valencia Government which has not sent planes to Bilbao?

Mr. Eden

The only point that I made was that there were foreign aeroplanes on both sides.

14 and 15. Rear-Admiral Sir Murray Sueter

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) whether he can now give full information in connection with the bombing of the German battleship "Deutschland"; the nature of the bombs dropped, whether armour piercing or light cased; the- casualties caused to the crew; the damage done to the ship and fittings; the number of aircraft engaged in the attack; the number of bombs dropped and the number of hits obtained; whether the "Deutschland is provided with anti-aircraft guns, and, if so, how many and of what type; whether it is known from what altitude the bombs were dropped; and were the anti-aircraft guns of the battleship brought into action against the hostile aircraft at any time when making these attacks;

(2)whether he has any information of the nationality and the type of aircraft used in the attack on the German battleship "Deutschland."

The First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. Duff Cooper)

There is very little I can add to the official German statement which has already appeared in the Press. The hon. and gallant Member must bear in mind that no British ships were present when the "Deutschland" was attacked. According to the German statement, the attack was carried out by two aircraft which dropped several bombs, two of which took effect. It was also stated that the aircraft were flying low; that as they were approaching against the sun, it was impossible to distinguish their markings or type, and that no shot was fired either by the "Deutschland" or the torpedo boat "Leopard" which was lying alongside the Mole. I am able to add to the foregoing the information that the casualties dealt with at Gibraltar amount to 28 dead and 51 wounded; also that it is believed there were in addition four dead and nine injured who were landed at Iviza. The first bomb is believed to have pierced the upper deck and exploded on the armoured deck beneath causing many casualties amongst the men on the mess deck. The second bomb apparently struck the shield of the fore 5.9 in. gun. I have no information as to the type of aircraft or bomb employed. I understand that the anti-aircraft armament of the "Deutschland" consists of six 3.5 in., eight 1.46 in. and ten machine guns.

Mr. H. Morrison

What were the German ships doing in this part of Spain?