§ 7. Sir Ralph Glynasked the Prime Minister how far the line occupied in Poland by Russia conforms to the frontier known as the Curzon Line at the Peace Conference of 1919; and the location and extent of any further area of which the Russian troops are in occupation?
§ Mr. ButlerI will, with permission, circulate a detailed description of the extent which the new frontier diverges from the Curzon Line. In brief it may be said that the divergencies are mainly in the north and south and that as a result it is estimated that Soviet troops are in occupation of some 8,000 square miles in all to the West of the Curzon Line.
§ Mr. GallacherIs it not the case that the parts occupied over and above the Curzon Line protect for all time the Baltic and Balkan States from any further aggression?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerCan the right hon. Gentleman say what is the population of the territory beyond the Curzon Line?
§ Mr. ButlerI am answering shortly a question as to the total numbers on each side which are now in Soviet and German occupation, and I will give information to the hon. Member at a later date, if he will put down a question, as to the individual districts.
§ Following is the statement:
§ The new line approximates to the Curzon Line from about 50 miles north of Brest Litovsk southwards along the River Bug to Krielov. It diverges from it considerably both in the north and in the south. In the north it leaves an area of some 7,000 square miles including the districts of Lomja, Bialystok, Augustow and Bielsk to the Russians, but most of the 846 district of Suvalki, an area adjacent to East Prussia of some 860 square miles to the west of the Curzon Line and northeast of the present Russo-German line has been allotted to Germany. In the south the new line passes to the east of the Curzon Line in respect of a small area on the west of Sokal, but southwards of that area it forms a salient some 35 miles in depth to the west of the Curzon Line, returning to within about 10 miles of that line in the neighbourhood of Przemysl and crossing it again north of the Slovak frontier. The new line meets the Slovak frontier a few miles to the south and east of the old Curzon Line. In all it is estimated that Soviet troops are in occupation of about 8,000 square miles to the west of the Curzon Line.
§ 8. Mr. Arthur Hendersonasked the Prime Minister whether any Governments have granted de jureor de factorecognition to the German and Russian partition of Poland; and whether, in the view of His Majesty's Government any such recognition would be consistent with complete neutrality?
§ Mr. ButlerNot so far as my Noble Friend is aware.
§ Mr. HendersonCan I have a reply to the second part of the question?
§ Mr. ButlerAs there were no incidents in regard to the first part, I did not think that the second part of the question arose.
§ 9. Mr. Hendersonasked the Prime Minister the number of Poles, on the basis of mother tongue, inhabiting those districts of Poland annexed by Germany and those districts annexed by Russia, respectively?
§ Mr. ButlerOn the basis of the 1931 census the figures would be very approximately 17,250,000 and 4,750,000 respectively. More recent statistics are not available, and the figures quoted do not, therefore, take account of the increase of population since 1931.
Lieut.-Colonel Sir A. Lambert WardDoes my right hon. Friend consider that in an area such as this where so many people are bi-lingual, the mother tongue basis is a satisfactory test of genuine nationality?