§ 6. Brigadier-General Spearsasked the Prime Minister whether he will publish any communication from the Czechoslovak Government on the subject of the area included in the fifth zone occupied by the German armies and the terms of his reply thereto?
§ Mr. ButlerNo communication has been received by His Majesty's Government from the Czechoslovak Government on this subject. On 6th October the Czechoslovak representative communicated to the International Commission in Berlin the acceptance by his Government of the decision reached by the representatives of the four Munich Powers on the preceding day with regard to the area to be occupied by German troops between 7th and 10th October.
§ Brigadier-General SpearsAre the reports in the Press that a telegram was sent by the Czech Government to the Prime Minister on 7th October, incorrect?
§ Mr. ButlerYes, Sir.
§ 7. Brigadier-General Spearsasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the German Government has demanded the cession by the Czechoslovak authorities of rolling-stock in the Sudeten German area, or payment for any rolling-stock removed, and in view of the fact that it was announced that rolling-stock should not, in the view of His Majesty's Government, be included in the installations to be ceded under the Munich Agreement, he will make representations to the German Government that Czechoslovakia should be allowed to retain this material?
§ Mr. ButlerThe economic sub-committee of the International Commission in Berlin, on which both the German and Czechoslovak Governments are represented, have now accepted a revised definition of the term "installations" which provides that all fixtures which are in the nature of a public utility and moveable 475 material necessary for the normal functioning of the installations should be regarded as covered by this term. In these circumstances the last part of the question does not arise.
§ Brigadier-General SpearsAs His Majesty's Government were signatories to that Agreement, have they nothing to say?
§ Mr. ButlerThe declarations of the Munich Agreement empower the International Commission to deal with all questions arising out of the transfer of territory. Therefore, if the sub-committee reaches a formula acceptable to the Czech Government, His Majesty's Government would not wish to interfere.
§ Mr. BennDo we understand that, in view of our own deep financial commitments in Czechoslovakia, His Majesty's Government acceded to these very onerous demands on the Czechs?
§ Mr. ButlerWe accepted the finding of the economic sub-committee of the International Commission.
§ Sir Archibald SinclairDid not the representative of His Majesty's Government on the Commission refer back to the Government before accepting these very onerous demands?
§ Mr. ButlerI should want notice of that question.
§ 8. Brigadier-General Spearsasked the Prime Minister whether the British representative on the International Commission in Berlin protested against the inclusion in the fifth zone occupied by the German armies of the district of Engerau, opposite Bratislava; and whether, in view of the fact that the occupation of this district was a contravention of the Munich Agreement, he will make representations to the German Government for its return to Czechoslovakia?
§ Mr. ButlerThe answer to both parts of the question is in the negative. The inclusion of the Engerau district on the German side of the new frontier line was approved by the International Commission, and this decision has been accepted by the Czechoslovak Government. I 476 cannot agree that its occupation was a contravention of the terms of paragraph 4 of the Munich Agreement.
§ Brigadier-General SpearsSurely the Munich Agreement referred to the transfer of Sudetenland, and this district was formerly part of Hungary, and would not be included?
§ Mr. ButlerI am informed that the expression "Sudeten-German territory," as used in the Munich Agreement, was never intended to cover any special geographical area. It was meant to indicate those areas of Czechoslovakia where the population was predominantly of German race.
§ Mr. ShinwellWhen the hon. Gentleman speaks of the terms being acceptable to the Czechoslovak Government, does he mean that the Czechoslovak Government have been compelled to accept those terms?
§ Mr. ButlerThe Czechoslovak Government accepted those terms; I think we should leave the matter at that.
§ 20. Mr. Noel-Bakerasked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied that the provisional frontier laid down between Germany and Czechoslovakia by the International Commission in Berlin is in accordance with the provisions of the Munich Agreement?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerCan the Prime Minister explain why a considerable number of districts where the percentage of Germans is well under 20 per cent., even on the 1910 census, have in fact been transferred to Germany, and why the German commanders have sometimes overstepped the line?
§ The Prime MinisterI think the understanding is that the areas in question to which the hon. Member refers are set off by some corresponding areas where, on the other side, there is a preponderantly German population in the territory.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerAre they not already set off by 750,000 Czechs who are in the Sudeten area?
§ 24. Mr. Hannahasked the Prime Minister whether he will clear up misunderstanding by a statement as to the nature of any British guarantee of the present frontiers of Czechoslovakia?
27. Mr. Vyvyan Adamsasked the Prime Minister what is to be the attitude of His Majesty's Government regarding the guarantee entered into by the signatories of the Munich Agreement concerning the frontiers of Czechoslovakia with regard to the new frontiers of Carpathian Ukraine?
§ The Prime MinisterThe matter is being examined in all its aspects by His Majesty's Government, and I hope to be able to make a further statement later.
§ Mr. HannahThank you very much.
Mr. AdamsArising out of question No. 27, is the Prime Minister aware that the Polish Press regards its frontiers as purely provisional and advocates an early violation?
28. Mr. V. Adamsasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that in the delimitation of the frontiers of Czechoslovakia, particularly those between Hungary and what is now known as Carpathian Ukraine, the ethnographic principle laid down under the Munich Agreement, and affirmed by the British Government, has been violated, in that, territories with a predominantly non-Magyar population have been allotted to Hungary, including two chief towns, one being the seat of government of Carpathian Ukraine; and whether he proposes any action?
§ The Prime MinisterThe Munich Agreement did not make any stipulations in regard to the settlement of the problems of the Polish and Hungarian minorities in Czechoslovakia, and it was only in the event of these problems not being settled in agreement with the respective Governments within three months that they would have formed the subject of another meeting of the Munich Powers. Agreement was, in fact, reached between the Czechoslovak and Hungarian Governments when they agreed to accept as final the arbitral award of the German and Italian Governments, and in consequence no question of action by His Majesty's Government arises.
§ Sir A. SinclairCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the moral guarantee of which the Minister for the Coordination of Defence spoke, is now in operation in regard to these frontiers?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir.