§ Mr. NIELDasked the Home Secretary whether any steps have yet been taken to intern or to compulsorily remove to a distance for work of national importance the alien enemy Stark, a German, who has set up to capture the business of his former employer, a French polisher, now deceased, which was being carried on at 6, Leeland Terrace, Ealing, W., by the widow, aided by her stepson, Edward Sharp, who was reluctantly sent into the Army by the local tribunal; and whether he is aware that the presence of this German has created a feeling in the neighbourhood that protection should be afforded him at the expense of British subjects, and at a time when his countrymen are using every barbarity towards women and children in this country?
§ Sir G. CAVEI gave directions that this man was either to find employment at once as a workman in some essential industry or to be interned. He has found work as an undertaker's assistant, and has been allowed to take this until the National Service Department require him for work of national importance.
§ Mr. NIELDasked the Home Secretary, whether his attention has been called by the Earling local military tribunal, through the Local Government Board, to the presence of these alien enemies, un-naturalised Austrian subjects, viz.: Joseph Perlmutter and his two sons, Francis and Frank, aged twenty-seven, and Albert, aged twenty-one, carrying on business as jewellers at 5, The Broadway, West Ealing, W.; whether, in view of the present state of public feeling, consequent upon the killing of women and children by the enemy's methods of bombing undefended districts in the daytime by air raids, he will cause these aliens to be interned or removed to a distance for employment upon work of national importance under proper supervision; and whether he is aware that, failing such action, the local military tribunal declines 1989W to send British subjects engaged in a similar business into the Army when their trade is likely to be captured by these protected alien enemies?
§ Sir G. CAVEThese three persons were exempted from internment on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, and steps have been taken with a view to their being employed on work of national importance as soon as possible. If they refuse to undertake such employment, they will be interned.
§ Mr. NIELDasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that military service tribunals are refusing to order men to join the Army and are granting orders of exemption on grounds of exceptional hardship in cases where uninterned enemy aliens by birth, and whether naturalised or not, are proved to be waiting to secure and carry on the businesses which would have to be relinquished by the present owners being called up; and whether he will reconsider the policy hitherto pursued and intern all such persons or see that they are removed for work of national importance, under proper supervision, to distant parts of the country?
§ Sir G. CAVEI would refer to my replies to the hon. and learned Member's other questions with regard to individual cases of alien enemies mentioned by him, and to the reply to the question by the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for St. Georges, Hanover Square, on the 11th instant.
§ Mr. NIELDasked the Home Secretary whether he has taken or contemplates taking action in the case brought to his notice some time ago where a man named Bailey, who carried on business as a hairdresser in Northfield's Avenue, Ealing, was compelled to close his shop consequent upon being ordered to join the Army, the business being regarded by the local tribunal as unnecessary; whether he is aware that, in order to capture the trade, an interned German property owner has leased a shop to a man to carry on the same business, and that such alien enemy is permitted under escort periodically to visit the premises and to conduct his affairs under escort; and whether he will direct this practice to be discontinued?
§ Sir G. CAVEThe alien enemy to whom this question appears to relate is a man named Joseph Kaphan, now interned at Alexandra Palace. It is not the case that this man is allowed to leave the camp,1990W whether under escort or otherwise, for the purpose suggested in the question. Permission would certainly not be given to him or to any other alien enemy to leave the camp in order to capture the trade of a British subject obliged to join the Army. The camp records show that during the present year he was twice allowed out for a short time, once to buy kosher meat for the Jewish inmates at Passover time, and once to get himself a pair of glasses on the recommendation of the medical officer.