COMMONS' DEBATE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18147, 9 August 1924, Page 13

COMMONS' DEBATE.

NO DIVISION TAKEN. LIBERALS STAND BY GOVERNMENT. (SltrTEß'a TKLEGfcAKS.) LONDON, August 7. Parliament, which should have adjourned yesterday, was foreed to meet to-day in consequenee of vigorous Conservative and Liberal opposition on the Russian Treaty last night. At the outset of the debate to-day the Opposition secured a ruling from the Speaker that the abortive drafttreaty upon which the Russian ncgotiations broke down must be published. Sir Eobert Home (Conservative) evoked angry Ministerial cries and Opposition cheers by urging that it was agreed that ihe draft treaty should not be signed till Parliament reassembled. Mr MaeDonald said that he wished to sign the treaty to-day. He emphasised that signature of the treaty did not involve the sanction of the House of Commons. The Government pledged itself to produce the treaties and to lay them before Parliament for acceptance or rejection. The Government was anxious that not a clause, provision, or line in the treaties should be operative until the House had sanctioned them. The House, in fairness, ought to allow the agreement to be signed; otherwise- an extraordinarily intolerable precedent would be established to which he could not assent. The Opposition was dnable to point to a single thing that would come into operation as a result of mere signature. The whole Liberal front bench, including Mr Lloyd George, left the House, presumably to consult regarding thoir attitude.

Mr Mac Donald, after pointing oat that the House had to accept or reject the Lausanne Treaty as it stood, gave his pledge that the Government wouM not follow the Lausanne precedent, and would not insert a clause that every word, line, and provision in the present treaty must be accepted en bloe or rejected altogether. The House could amend, consider, pass, or reject what had been done. He particularly urged that the Conservatives should not rashly, on the last day of the session, set a precedent for the conduct of negotiations. Mr E. D. Morel (Labour) said the whole of the Labourites enthusiastically supported Mr Mac Donald in refusing to be placed in a position of inferiority, in conducting negotiations, compared with his predecessors.. Ha characterised Mr Lloyd George's attitude in attacking the treaty and at the samo time pretending to sympathise with the Eussian people as revolting.

Sir Eobert Home said the world's belief that the signature of British Ministers would be confirmed by the House of Commons obviously did not appertain in the case of a minority Government.

Mr Mat-Donald interrupted, pointing out that ho had given his pledge that this treaty could be amended.

Mr "VF. A. Jewitt (Liberal), whilo criticising the treaty, indicated that the Liberals would not be likely to support the Conservatives' effort to delay signature. ■> Mr Mac Donald at this stage left the House.

Mr Clynes (Deputy Leader of the House) asserted that it was the constitutional right of the Government to complete the initial stage in an honest endeavour to restore Anglo-Russian relations. He appealed to the House to pass tho adjournment discussion. Mr Lloyd George said the grounds of last night's adjournment had been complied with when the Prime Minister had stated that the treaties would be available to the House. Mr Lloyd George therefore supported Mr Clynes'a appeal that the House should discuss the adjournment.

The House thereupon read a third time tho Consolidated Fund Bill, finally passing the financial provisions for the year. It is unlikely that any vote in regard to Eussia, that the Opposition may press during the adjournment debate, will have any political significance even if the Liberals support the Conservatives, which is unlikely, consequently the Eussian debate i 3 virtually dead, and a vote is unlikely. HOUSE ADJOURNS. (ATJSTSALUH *SD 8.1 Oi3LX ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, August 7. The Eussian debato ended when Mr Lloyd George supported the appeal from Mr J. E. Clynes to discuss tin adjournment. Later. Parliament has adjourned till September 30th. ___ —