§ Mr. JOHNasked the Prime Minister whether, seeing that the transfer of Alsace-Lorraine to France will reduce the production of iron ore annually in Germany from 35,900,000 tons to 14,800,000 tons and increase that of France from 21,000,000 to 42,000,000, implying virtually an equivalent transfer of military strength likely to be resisted to the uttermost, the Allies will alternativey consider the effective, political, and economic neutralisation of Alsace-Lorraine, and Belgium, both States together with Holland, Switzerland, and Luxembourg, to constitute a free trade union guaranteed by the Great Powers, with the manufacture and export of munitions of war prohibited within its limits?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWHis Majesty's Government cannot consider suggestions of this kind, or indeed any suggestion as to terms of peace apart from their Allies.