§ 14. Mr. Niall Macphersonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will arrange, in conjunction with the Government of the United States of America and any other Governments concerned, for the publication of the directive given to General MacArthur as to his conduct of the campaign in Korea with particular reference to his mission in North Korea.
§ 15. Mr. Blackburnasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations were made by him to the 335 United States Government with relation to the instructions given to General MacArthur to advance into North Korea.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesI would refer hon. Members to the statement made by my right hon. Friend during the foreign affairs debate and to the answers I gave on 4th December. As previously stated, the objectives of General MacArthur have been laid down in United Nations Resolutions and there has been appropriate consultation.
§ Mr. MacphersonIs the hon. Gentleman not aware that the Resolutions provide not only for consultation but for advice, which must be of the nature of a directive; and, that being so, can he tell the House what advice the Interim Commission of the United Nations has given to General MacArthur?
§ Mr. DaviesI think there might be a little misunderstanding as advice is not given to General MacArthur by the Interim Commission, as far as I am aware. The position is that, under those Resolutions, the delegation of the United Nations conduct of the campaign was to the unified command and the United States of America were asked to appoint a commander. It is in that respect that General MacArthur is acting.
§ Mr. DribergIs it not the case that the position in which the United Nations Forces now find themselves must have been foreseen by our own military advisers at the beginning of the affair? If so, was no advice or warning given?
§ Mr. DaviesI think that if the present position in which we find ourselves had been foreseen at the beginning of the affairs it may be that the situation would not have developed in the way that it has.
§ Mr. PatonIs it not the case that the tremendously important political implications could not possibly have been foreseen in a changing situation, and is not the real weakness the fact that no machinery was created by the United Nations by which effective political decisions could be taken rapidly and made effective with the Commander?
§ Mr. DaviesI do not believe that it would serve any useful purpose if we started discussing the question of political 336 control at the present time. When my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is now discussing these matters in Washington, I think the less said the better.
§ Mr. BlackburnIs it not perfectly plain that General MacArthur has explicitly obeyed his instructions throughout, and that no representations were made by His Majesty's Government upon which General MacArthur could possibly have acted?
§ Mr. DaviesI think I have made that position quite clear to the House already. General MacArthur has been acting within the Resolutions passed by the United Nations and we have no reason to suggest, nor do we wish it to be suggested, that he has gone outside the Resolutions of the United Nations.
§ 18. Mr. Henry Straussasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what date and by what method the United Nations were informed that in the view of His Majesty's Government the forces of the United Nations should advance no further than the 38th Parallel.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesThe hon. and learned Member is misinformed. His Majesty's Government jointly sponsored the General Assembly Resolution of 7th October which recommended inter alia that all appropriate steps be taken to ensure conditions of stability throughout Korea.
§ Mr. StraussWhile, of course, I accept the absolute accuracy of that answer, may I ask the hon. Gentleman this question: Has he observed the statement last Sunday of the Minister of Defence, in which he said that the objectives of the United Nations in Korea had been limited and that we were to have gone up to the 38th Parallel? Can he say why the Minister of Defence made a statement which was quite untrue?
§ Mr. DaviesI am aware that such a statement was made last Sunday. Any questions regarding speeches made by my colleagues should be addressed to the Prime Minister, and will be replied to in his absence by the Deputy Prime Minister.
§ Mr. StraussFurther to that—
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. and learned Gentleman is going right outside the original Question.
§ Mr. MolsonOn a point of order. Is it not the case, Sir, that one cannot put a Question with regard to a speech made by a Minister unless it is possible to ask whether that is the policy of His Majesty's Government? Is it not, therefore, impossible to get past the Table any Questions to the Prime Minister relating to the speech made by the Minister of Defence?
§ Mr. SpeakerWe had a good many Questions about that yesterday.
§ Mr. StraussOn that point of order. May I ask if the Under-Secretary was aware that I had put down my Question to the Prime Minister and that it was transferred by the Prime Minister's Department to the Foreign Secretary?
§ Mr. DaviesThat is perfectly true, but the Question which the hon. and learned Gentleman put down did not refer to the speech of my right hon. colleague.