HC Deb 04 February 1948 vol 446 cc1811-4
Mr. Churchill

(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs—(i) whether his attention has been called to the publication by the United States Department of State of documents upon Nazi-Soviet Relations, 1939–1941, and whether he will arrange that copies of this book shall be available in sufficient numbers in the Library of the House; and (ii) whether he has any intention of making a similar separate British publication as authorised by the Agreement of the British and United States Governments in June, 1946, and subsequently concurred in by the French Government.

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Ernest Bevin)

The answer to the first part of the right hon. Member's Question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, His Majesty's Government have the matter of a similar separate British publication under consideration.

Mr. Churchill

May we take it that the consideration will reach a conclusion within a period sufficiently short to enable us to form an instructed judgment of the many important issues involved?

Mr. Bevin

If I make it too short the House may not be able to form an instructed judgment.

Mr. Churchill

I take it that the right hon. Gentleman will bear in mind that, owing to the very small quantity of newsprint which it is possible to allow at the present time, no full accounts of these important documents are given to the British public. Will he also bear in mind that Members of Parliament, without distinction of party, have great responsibility in giving their votes and expressing their opinion on all matters connected with foreign affairs, and there are many matters of high importance in this American publication—and I doubt not in the corresponding British publication—which are essential to a correct judgment being formed upon these matters?

Mr. Bevin

I quite agree that all these questions of prewar and war history have to be handled very carefully. I cannot agree to be rushed, because of its publication in another country, into taking out of its context one particular thing without careful study of the rest; and, therefore, when I got the right hon. Gentleman's Private Notice Question, I decided to look into the whole problem very carefully.

Mr. Churchill

Perhaps if I asked the right hon. Gentleman another question in the course of the next few weeks he would be able to give me a more definite answer?

Mr. Bevin

Yes, Sir.

Mr. Churchill

Facts are the foundation of our judgment. The House has great responsibility and ought to have the essential facts. There is no reason why America should have a mass of essential material which is denied to the British House of Commons.

Mr. Bevin

We were dealing with the whole question of the history of the war in conjunction with the Americans and this has been published separately in America—

Mr. Churchill

By agreement.

Mr. Bevin

—by agreement, but I am not yet convinced that it was the wisest way of dealing with this problem. After all, a lot of events went on at this period—[An HON. MEMBER: Jiggerypokery."] I am not suggesting jiggerypokery as the hon. Member infers.

Hon. Members

Withdraw.

Mr. Bevin

What I am suggesting is that I cannot afford to take this step impetuously and without careful consideration because somebody else has taken it, having regard to my responsibility for trying to make peace. That is why I proposed to consider it with very great care and I will do it as quickly as I can.

Mr. Churchill

Surely the right hon. Gentleman did not have his attention drawn to this matter first of all when the United States made this publication? He and his Department must have studied and considered the question for a long time previously. It should not be left to the Leader of the Opposition to raise such an issue in the House of Commons. There is no reason why the initiative in giving the full and necessary information should not have come from the Foreign Secretary himself.

Mr. Bevin

In approaching this problem I understood this matter was going to be dealt with in relation to the other Allies as a comprehensive historical statement, and I had no idea it was going to be published out of its context. Therefore, because somebody else publishes something out of its context I am not too sure it is wise for me automatically to follow in that course without looking at the matter very carefully. After all, whatever happened in 1939 and 1941, I have got to study what is likely to happen in 1948.

Mr. Harold Davies

Is my right hon. Friend aware that many of us on these benches are delighted that we had such a splendid reply from the Foreign Secretary and that we are glad he is not going to publish historical documents of a one-sided nature at this juncture? May I ask him, therefore, if he is publishing any documents, whether he will publish all secret documents?

Mr. Bevin

When praise comes to the Foreign Secretary from both sides of the House it is a most dangerous thing. I cannot add anything further to what I have already said.

Mr. Cecil Poole

Will the Foreign Secretary bear in mind that the prime overriding consideration at the present time is the preservation of the peace of the world, and will he, in considering the publication of this or any other document, give full weight to the contribution which it will make to such preservation?

Mr. Churchill

May I add to that, with which I entirely agree, "subject of course to the interest of truth and the House of Commons being properly equipped to discharge its duties"?

Mr. Pickthorn

Will the Foreign Secretell us whether there is any limit to the number of dollars which may be spent in importing from the United States the documents as published there?

Mr. Bevin

I think the only answer which can be given to that would be by a Cambridge professor.

Mr. Churchill

rose—

Mr. Bevin

I have finished.

Mr. Speaker

The right hon. Gentleman will forgive me, but I did call one more supplementary question.

Mr. Emrys Hughes

Will the Minister also consider publishing the relevant documents from the Swedish White Book which I have been pressing upon him—documents relative to the proposed attack by our Allied Forces on Russia in 1940?

Mr. Bevin

I really cannot add any more. I have hundreds of documents to go through and read, but I cannot say at the moment which documents. I am considering it.

Mr. Churchill

Presumably the right hon. Gentleman is aware that it is very difficult to get this American publication. Only a few copies have been available over here and newspapers have no space to print it. Many things relevant to our debates are contained therein.