§ 48. Mr. Stokesasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, in view of the impossibility of transferring humanely 6,550,000 Germans from Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Austria to Western Germany in the Winter months, he will make representations to the Allied Control Council to suspend all expulsions until the Spring of next year.
§ Mr. Mathers (Treasurer of the Household)I have been asked to reply. The plan for the transfer of Germans to 2321 Western Germany was based on the decision reached at Potsdam that transfers were to be carried out in an orderly and humane manner, and full weight to the humanitarian considerations was given by the Allied representatives on the Control Council in Germany when formulating the plan. The persons transferred will arrive at the Western Zones of Germany with one day's rations in hand and will be issued with ration cards available in the area to which they are going. They will be fed during the onward journey. As far as practicable the refugees from Poland will come by sea. If they come by rail, heated railway stock will be used. Transfers will be suspended if the weather is too bad.
§ Mr. StokesIs my hon. Friend aware that responsible people have already stated that this transfer is not possible humanely within the limits of the Potsdam Declaration in the Winter months, and therefore, will His Majesty's Government make representations to the Allied Control Commission to reconsider their decision, and stop it?
§ Mr. MathersI will convey the hon. Member's observations to my hon. Friend.