§ 5. Captain Pluggeasked the Prime Minister whether he can make a statement as to what further action the Government have taken to secure the release of the British Military Attaché, Colonel Spears?
§ Mr. ButlerRepeated representations have been made to the Japanese Government by His Majesty's Ambassador in Tokyo, and the matter has also been taken up with the Japanese Embassy in London. Sir R. Craigie will continue to press for Colonel Spears' early release.
§ Captain PluggeCan my right hon. Friend say whether any definite charge has been preferred against Colonel Spears; and can he also say how long Colonel Spears has been detained by the Japanese?
§ Mr. ButlerHe has, in our opinion, been detained far too long. No definite charge has yet been formulated against him.
§ 8. Mr. Thorneasked the Prime Minister whether he can give any information about the Japanese occupation of the islands of Hainan, Spratley and Hanoi; how far Hanoi is from the bay of Cam-ranh our principal naval base; whether the Government of the United States of America have informed him that they are protesting about the Japanese occupation of Hanoi in view of its effect upon the Philippine Islands; and whether he can give any information about the Japanese establishing a submarine base at Hainan?
§ Mr. ButlerThe Japanese naval authorities have declared the port of Hoihow, on Hainan, open again to trade. My Noble Friend has not yet received any confirmation of the report that the Japanese are constructing a submarine base on this island. Otherwise I have nothing to add to my statement of 12th June in reply to the hon. Member for North Cumberland (Mr. W. Roberts) about the Japanese occupation of Hainan and Spratley Islands. Hanoi is the capital of the Indo-Chinese province of Tonkin, a French protectorate.
§ 11 and 12. Major-General Sir Alfred Knoxasked the Prime Minister (1) whether, as the Japanese at Tientsin still continue to inflict humiliations on our fellow-countrymen, he will announce that, 1782 failing an immediate improvement, he will denounce the Anglo-Japanese Trade Agreement of 1911;
(2) when the conference at Tokyo will begin?
§ 20. Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to inform the Japanese Government that negotiations at Tokyo cannot be initiated or continued without an undertaking that the blockade at Tientsin shall be lifted and outrages against British subjects, property, and shipping shall cease during their continuance?
§ Mr. ButlerAs the Prime Minister has already informed the House, the negotiations at Tokyo will be conducted on the assumption by His Majesty's Government that an end will be put to outrages on British subjects. It is expected that these negotiations will begin about the middle of this week. My Noble Friend's reports indicate that a certain number of British subjects daily pass the barriers, where the restrictions have latterly been less vexatious.
§ Sir A. KnoxSurely something could be done to stop these humiliations which are really lowering our prestige all through the Far East? Cannot we do something?
§ Mr. ButlerAs the hon. and gallant Gentleman knows, as a result of His Majesty's Government's representations, the situation has shown the improvement to which I have referred.
§ Lieut.-Commander FletcherIs it not the case that while His Majesty's Government have stated that they expect the outrages upon British subjects to stop, they have not stated that they expect the blockade of Tientsin to be raised while the negotiations are going on?
§ Mr. ButlerI would refer the hon. and gallant Gentleman to the Prime Minister's statement on 28th June which I quoted, and which states the attitude of the British Government on the matter.
§ Lieut.-Commander FletcherIs it not the case that no condition has been made that the blockade should cease?
§ Mr. ButlerNo, Sir, the position is as stated by my right hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerCan the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that while the negotiations are going on and at their conclusion, His Majesty's Government will do nothing to prejudice the rights of the Chinese Government under international law, and nothing which will recognise the legitimacy of the present Japanese invasion of China?
§ Mr. ButlerI think I can give that assurance.
§ Mr. ThorneCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether he has not got enough ships to prevent a blockade?
§ 17. Mr. Arthur Hendersonasked the Prime Minister whether his attention has been called to the recent declaration of the Japanese Prime Minister laying down conditions and reservations in relation to the forthcoming Anglo-Japanese negotiations; and whether official representations have been made by the Japanese Government to the same effect?
§ Mr. ButlerThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and to the second in the negative.