§ LORD VANSITTARTMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask what action His Majesty's Government propose to take in view of the hanging by the Communist Government of Czechoslovakia of 349 General Pika, who served Czechslovakia and her allies, including Russia, loyally during the war.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (LORD HENDERSON)General Pika, was head of the Czechoslovak Military Mission in Moscow from 1941 till 1945, and afterwards served as deputy Chief of Staff in Prague. He was convicted of treason and sentenced to death on January 29 last on charges of working in collaboration with British military intelligence authorities and of having hindered the development of Czechoslovak military units in Russia. His appeal for clemency was rejected, and he was executed on June 21. His Majesty's Government have no locus standi for formal intervention in this case. His Majesty's Ambassador in Prague, however, both immediately after the condemnation of General Pika in January and on the eve of the execution, made it clear to the Czechoslovak authorities that the General's execution would make a deplorable impression on public opinion in this country.
It is not usual to comment in this House on judicial decisions in other countries, but since the case has aroused so much interest, I would make the following observations upon it. General Pika did have numerous friendly contacts with British military authorities during the war this was natural, since the United Kingdom and Czechoslovakia were allies. Nothing that he ever did surpassed the limits of normal co-operation between allies in a common cause suffering from the onslaught of German aggression. It is totally untrue that he ever communicated to us information damaging to Czechoslovakia. On the contrary, while he was known as a protagonist of the Czechoslovak-Soviet Alliance, and indeed received high Soviet decorations for his services in Moscow, he was much respected in London as a distinguished officer of pronounced loyalty to President Benes and to Czechoslovakia. The charge that his activities were aimed against the Soviet Union in 1940 and 1941, at a time when the U.S.S.R. was virtually allied with Germany, is a particularly cynical act of vindictiveness. I leave noble Lords to form their own opinion on it. It is difficult to avoid the impression that General Pika has been 350 executed primarily because he was unwilling to toe the Soviet line in all circumstances and had acted as a loyal and patriotic Czech.
§ LORD VANSITTARTMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord very warmly for his reply. I am glad he has spoken so frankly. Perhaps I may be allowed to make a suggestion. Seeing that the systematic liquidation of all those who have rendered any service at all to the West must be taken in conjunction with the religious persecution now raging, which is also an attempt to sever their connection with the West, could we not at least oblige the present Czechoslovak régime to the extent of giving heed to the plain language used by Mr. Hubert Ripka, one of Dr. Benes' principal Ministers, that we should at least not increase our trade with a régime which so grossly oppresses his country?
§ LORD HENDERSONMy Lords, in answer to that supplementary question, I think I should remind the House of what the Foreign Secretary stated in another place—namely, that he cannot from the Foreign Office inject political questions at every turn into trade negotiations.
§ LORD VANSITTARTMy Lords, may I also suggest that from the point of view of national dignity it is most undesirable to say, ahead of an event, that it will create a deplorable impression in this country, and then, when it happens, do nothing about it? That seems to be a curious situation to put ourselves in.