KEPT SECRET.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 70, 23 March 1940, Page 5

KEPT SECRET.

NAZI-SOVIET PACT.

No Publication Of Documents Describing Negotiations. DEBATE IN COMMONS. British Oflicial Wireless. (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, March 22. The adjournment debate in the House of Commons was wound up by (he Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. B. A. Butler, who dealt with a number of points raised, referring to the publication of documents describing negotiations which preceded the signature of the agreement between Germany and the Soviet Union.

Mr. Butler s.iid that lie was not in a position to add anything to what had been categorically stated by the Prime Minister, which was to the effect that the question had been considered in company with the French. Government and tho Governments had come to the conclusion that they Here unable to publish these documents. There was no question of the Government being afraid to publish them.

"There is such a tiling as tlio public interest," continued Mr. Butler, "and in debating foreign affairs as \vc frequently (in, members sometimes underestimate the. limitations which must lie placed on those in authority, especially at a critical lime like this, in making public every single transaction in the foreign sphere."

Mr. Butler undcrtoook that certain criticism voiced In tlio course of the debate on the effectiveness of economic pressure being exercised against Germany .would receive serious attention by the Minister of Economic Warfare.