§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ VISCOUNT HALDANEMy Lords, at the Geneva Convention in 1906 many humane and useful provisions in regard to war were agreed upon, and among them was Section 27 of the Convention which provided that the Red Cross should be protected. It is obviously desirable that this emblem, which is the guarantee of immunity from attack in time of war, should be protected. This distinctive mark is a very important one for the purpose. The Powers concerned undertook, those of them who had not legislation adequate for the purpose, to propose to their Legislatures 1154 legislation which should protect the mark from being appropriated by trading companies and other persons, thus depriving it of its distinctive character. The Bill which is now before your Lordships is a Bill to give effect to that Convention. We ratified the Convention subject to our being able to secure from our Legislature the assent to the Red Cross mark being protected. This Bill has passed through the other House and is in every respect a desirable Bill. In case any private persons should have appropriated the mark while there was no legislation preventing it, although I do not think that these people are very deserving having regard to the well-known character of the mark, we have given them four years in which to get out of it. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.
§ On Question. Bill read 2a.
§ Committee nagatived: Then (Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended). Bill read 3a. and passed.