THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19805, 18 December 1929, Page 13

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

BRITISH WORKS SEIZED. ACTION OF POLISH AUTHORITIES. '.'sFinsa official w.feliss.) (Received December 17th, oo pm.i RUGBY, December 16. The Foreign Secretary was asked if his attention had been called to the seizure by the Polish authorities of certom works at Random, near Warsaw, in which a prominent British companv had great financial interests; if he was also aware that, despite the fact that the Polish Government had admitted that th«= seizure of the works was whoilv unjustified and illegal, that the Government had refused any compensation, and that unless this decision were altered, the British company in question must a""V for sequestration of the works involving their closing and also involving a serious loss of employment to British workmen. Mr Henderson replied that he was aware of the circumstances of this case and he had dispatched urgent telegraphic instructions to the British Ambassador at Warsaw, whose reply had since been received and communicated to the British company in question He had also instructed the Ambassador, by a dispatch, to present to the Polish Government the company's viewin res.pect of the losses incurred by it. The policv of the British company could onlv he" decided bv the company itself. ANGLO-EGYPTIAN NEGOTIATIONS. (BRITISH OF-FICIAL WIBELESS.) RUGBY, December 16. The Foreign Secretary was asked m the House of Commons whether_he had any communication from the Egyptian Government regarding the proposed draft treaty submitted by the British Government, Mr Henderson replied in the negative and said that he did tot expect to receive any further commiuucauon on this subject until after the Egyp tian elections and the restoration to the Parliamentary regime. He was asked whether be agreed with the statement made by the member of the Government in the House of Lords that these proposals were not to be considered as a draft treaty, but merely as proposals. He replied that the proposals were never intended as a draft treaty They were merely proposals submitted for negotiation subsequently by -my Gov eminent elected by the Egyptian people. COMMITMENTS TO LEAGUE OF NATIONS. (BBITISH OFTICIAX, WrEBLESS.) RUGBY, December 16. Mr W. H. Ayles (a Labour member) asked the Prime Minister whether Britain had commitments to tha League of Nations or the British Empire, which prevented the rlcuse ot Commons itselt coming to any conclusion it desired on disarmament. Mr Ramsav Mac Donald replied thai Article 8 of the Covenant of the League of Nations enjoined on member States, and consequently on the British Government, a reduction of their armaments to the lowest point consistent with national safety and the enforcement, by common action of international obligations. Another article ot the Covenant imposed obligations to join in action for the common enforcement of certain undertakings. Britain's commitments, as regarded the British Empire, were dictated by needs of selfdefence. Mr Ayles asked whether the Government believed there was still a margin, so far as Britain's own armar ments were concerned, that she could reduce down to what the Prime Minister had said was the level of national safety, and, if not, why should Britain go into the Disarmament Conference. The Prime Minister replied: It is because there may be that margin, discoverable only by international agreement, that we are going into that conference. LABOUR PARTY'S POLICY. MR WINSTON CHURCH I LL»S CRITICISM. (Received December 17th, S p.m.) LONDON, December 16. "If the Labour Party is allowed to have its way this powerful country will be converted into a vast soup kitchen,'' said Mr Winston Churchill in a speech at a Conservative Party's luncheon at London. "The House of Commons is to-day voting upon more and better doles," he added, "and to-morrow will consider a jolly plan for dearer coal in order to placate the miners who hold the Government in their hands. 'Tired Tim' and 'Weary Willie' will go on smoking their pipes until a job is brought to them like a tit-bit on a plate. The country must pay the price for all this. America, Germany, and France are reducing taxation m order to improve their world trading capacity, but the British Government has committed the country to a further £20.Q00.0€0 expenditure."'

COAL MINES BILL. CONSERVATIVE MOTION FOR REJECTION. (Received December 17th, 8 p.m.; LONDON, December 16. Iu the House of Commons, Mr MarDonald said that he could not accept the advice of the Federation of the British Industry to postpone the second reading of the Coal Mines Bill. The Conservative Party to-night gave notice for a straight-out motion for the rejection of the Coal Bill. UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BILL PASSED. (Received December 17th, 8 p.m.) LONDON. December 15. The Unempiovment Insurance Bill passed its third'reading by 273 to 199 votes. SERVICE AT FOREIGN OFFICE. ißeeeived December 17th, S p.m.) LONDON, December 16In the House of Commons, Mr Arthur Henderson, in answer to a question, said that Lord Cecil and Mr Noel Baker. M.P., were serving at the Foreign Office voluntarily. The former wouhj represent the Government at the League of Nations' Preparatory Commission on Disarmament.